Alcoholic cardiomyopathy

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Alcoholic cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy - alcoholic

Symptoms are usually absent until the disease is in an advanced stage. At that point, the symptoms occur due to heart failure and may include:

• Ankle, feet, and leg swelling
• Overall swelling
• Loss of appetite
• Shortness of breath , especially with activity
• Breathing difficulty while lying down
• Fatigue , weakness, faintness
• Decreased alertness or concentration
• Cough containing mucus, or pink, frothy material
• Decreased urine output (oliguria)
• Need to urinate at night (nocturia)
• Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)
• Irregular or rapid pulse

A health care provider will conduct a physical examination, which may reveal:

• Abnormal heart sounds
• Abnormal lung sounds
• Murmurs
• Irregular or rapid heartbeat
• Weight gain
• Swollen neck veins
• Enlarged liver
• Ankle swelling
• Low blood pressure

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is usually diagnosed when chronic heavy drinking is discovered as a cause of the heart failure.

The following tests may reveal signs of heart failure:

• An echocardiogram may show enlarged heart chambers, leaking valves, or reduced pumping efficiency.
• An ECG may show signs of enlarged heart chambers or rhythm abnormalities (arrhythmias).
• A chest x-ray or chest CT may show heart enlargement, fluid accumulation in the lungs and valves, and reduced pumping function.
• A complete routine laboratory study is performed to measure the hormone B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP).
• Cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography may be done to rule out coronary artery blockages as the cause for dilated heart chambers and decreased pumping function.

Review Date: 11/06/2006
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.