Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Cardiomyopathy - alcoholic


Symptoms

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

Signs and tests

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.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)