[Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy (author's transl)]

Abstract

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a consequence of toxic effects of ethyl alcohol. Acute effects must be distinguished from chronic effects over many years. Chronic abuse of alcohol of 1.5-2 g ethyl alcohol per kg body weight (i.e. about 100-150 g/70 kg) per day for years can cause congestive cardiomyopathy in predisposed persons, usually between 30 and 50 years of age. The diagnosis is associated with some criteria for exclusion, i.e. coronary heart disease, hypertension, valvular heart disease, in addition all obstructive and restrictive cardiomyopathy must be excluded. On the other hand, a specific constellation of findings can be considered characteristic of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, namely the coincidence of a radiologically established cardiomegaly in the form of a congestive cardiomyopathy with a raised serum concentration of immunoglobulin A and a negative myocardial immunofluorescence test. Therapeutically, in addition to the classical principles of the treatment of heart failure, absolute abstention from alcohol and physical stress seemed to be effective.