Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy: Clinical and Molecular Findings

Abstract

It has been known for some decades that chronic alcoholism can lead to dilated cardiomyopathy. Although excessive drinking is known to result in alcoholic cardiomyopathy and light-to-moderate drinking may confer some cardiovascular benefits, recent studies suggest that it is not only the quantity, but also drinking patterns and genetic factors, that may influence the relation between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease. Alcoholic patients consuming > 90g of alcohol a day for > 5 years are at risk for the development of asymptomatic alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Those who continue to drink may become symptomatic and develop signs and symptoms of heart failure. We summarize the experimental and clinical evidence regarding the role of alcohol in pathophysiology of alcoholic cardiomyopathy.