This stage is often detected only through advanced imaging or cardiac function tests. In the earliest phase, chronic heavy drinkers may develop subclinical changes in heart structure and function. This “silent” phase is marked by early diastolic dysfunction—meaning the heart’s ability to relax and fill is impaired, but not enough to trigger symptoms. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy can be insidious, often progressing for years before any noticeable symptoms arise.
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Often, when a doctor suspects cardiomyopathy, they will order an echocardiogram. Chronic AIC can occur following alcohol consumption over an extended period. Around 1–2% of those who engage in heavy alcohol consumption have ACM.
Is alcohol abstinence the only factor that determines the prognosis of alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy?
The primary treatment for ACM involves complete abstinence from alcohol or other drugs. For some people, a combination of factors could also lead to a weakened heart. Once doctors have found this, they will look for the cause of the weakened heart.
To diagnose this condition, healthcare providers will typically use several of the following methods. However, researchers have pinpointed certain behaviors that make it more likely you’ll develop this condition. However, consistent heavy drinking strains those protective processes — especially in your liver — making them less effective. This can cause a disruption in your heart rhythm called “fibrillation.” This is when the chambers of your heart try to beat so quickly that they only twitch or quiver. That scar tissue can also cause potentially life-threatening arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms).
Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
Your doctor will also ask you about your medical history and drinking habits. During the exam, your doctor will check your pulse and blood pressure. When it can’t pump out enough blood, the heart starts to expand to hold the extra blood. This makes it difficult for your heart to pump blood efficiently. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy doesn’t always cause symptoms.
This can result in various symptoms, including fluid retention and episodes. Without an adequate supply of blood and oxygen, the body’s organs and tissues can no longer function properly. This article explores ACM and its link to alcohol use disorder (AUD). This can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations, and fainting. An enlarged LV causes the muscles within it to thin and weaken, resulting in impaired heart function. This disrupts your heart rhythm, as the chambers of your heart beat quickly.
What is the correlation between the amount and duration of alcohol intake with Cardiomyopathy symptoms?
Experts do not know what quantity of alcohol a person needs to consume to develop ACM. They typically require fewer hospitalizations and show improved heart function on ECG readings. Individuals who completely quit alcohol generally have improved overall outcomes. People who continue to drink alcohol following a diagnosis of ACM tend to have a more negative outlook. A person can speak with a doctor about any concerns regarding lifestyle changes. Other lifestyle changes a person will likely need to make include reducing the amount of fluid they drink or salt they eat.
Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy: Symptoms, Types, Causes and Treatment
The heart’s LV attempts to compensate for this damage by enlarging to achieve a higher blood output. In ACM, toxic levels of alcohol damage the heart muscle. If you see any signs of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, contact emergency medical services immediately. If left untreated, alcoholic cardiomyopathy can lead to long-term health complications and death. The amount of alcohol consumed and for how long influences the risk of developing alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy. People who suffer from alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorder (AUD) are at risk of developing this condition.
Less Common Signs
Per the American Heart Association (AHA), alcohol is one of the leading causes of dilated cardiomyopathy. Once the damage is considered irreversible, it’s difficult for the heart and rest of the body to recover. These factors determine the severity of heart damage. Your doctor might prescribe ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers to help lower your blood pressure.
The prognosis of alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy is generally worse than non-alcohol related cardiomyopathy. Implementing appropriate medical intervention, including lifestyle modifications and medication, can also slow the progression of the disease and prevent further crack cocaine symptoms and warning signs damage. While alcohol abstinence is a significant factor in improving the prognosis of alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy, there are other factors that also affect the patient`s outcome. The mortality rate of patients with this condition is around 30-50% within 5 years after diagnosis. Alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy has a poor prognosis if left untreated or if the patient continues to consume alcohol.
- However, as the condition progresses, they may experience symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitations, and swelling of the legs and ankles.
- An example of this is a condition known as “holiday heart syndrome.”
- When your heart cannot pump enough blood, the lack of blood flow disrupts your major body functions.
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- This involves a doctor examining you for visible symptoms such as swelling in your legs or bulging neck veins.
Can You Prevent Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy?
Medications for heart failure and arrhythmias, dietary changes, and ongoing monitoring are also essential. Risk increases significantly with daily consumption of 80–100 grams of alcohol (about 6–7 drinks) over several years, but damage can occur at lower amounts depending on individual susceptibility. If you develop any of these symptoms, especially with a history of significant alcohol use, prompt evaluation by a healthcare provider is critical. Symptoms often become noticeable only after significant heart damage has occurred. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is primarily caused by the toxic effects of ethanol and its metabolites on the heart muscle (myocardium). It weakens and thins the heart muscle, leading to reduced heart function, heart failure, and life-threatening complications if left unaddressed.
- Most people who develop alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy have a history of heavy drinking—especially those who have been drinking heavily for 5 to 15 years.
- The earlier the diagnosis, the higher the chances of successful treatment and recovery.
- This article explores ACM and its link to alcohol use disorder (AUD).
- They commonly include fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling of the legs and feet.
Beta-blockers will be used to improve heart rhythm and blood pressure. This is especially true if your genetic condition affects how your body metabolizes alcohol. An example of this is a condition known as “holiday heart syndrome.” Heart failure happens when the heart muscle becomes too weak and stops pumping blood normally.
This usually involves certain types of medications that treat heart rhythm problems or other symptoms of heart failure. In cases where people don’t recover fully by abstaining from alcohol, most people will still see noticeable improvements in their symptoms. In many — if not most — cases, abstaining from alcohol can be enough to help people recover from alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy. Treatment for this condition starts with helping you reduce your alcohol intake or stop drinking entirely. This is supported by a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which found that early detection and intervention significantly improved the prognosis for patients with cardiomyopathy.
Treatment
Given the genetic predisposition seen in some patients, genetic counseling and family evaluation are recommended to identify at-risk relatives and provide early intervention 6. Management of ACM centers on halting disease progression, alleviating symptoms, and improving survival. These deficiencies further compromise heart health and amplify the toxic effects of alcohol 8 12. This combination accelerates the development of contractile dysfunction and increases the risk of sudden cardiac events. In advanced cases, the heart becomes severely dilated and weakened.
Is a cardiac biopsy a common diagnostic tool for alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy?
Other tests may include an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the heart’s electrical activity, and blood tests to check for elevated levels of certain enzymes that may indicate heart damage. In advanced cases, people with ACM may develop severe heart failure, which can cause symptoms such as severe shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. The signs and symptoms of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) can vary depending on the severity of the condition.
Other health problems you have can also affect your case, especially if those problems have any connection with alcohol use. This condition tends to be worse the more you drink and/or the longer you were a heavy drinker. What you should expect with this condition depends strongly on several factors. Consider a heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet. That’s because vitamin and mineral deficiencies are more common in individuals who are chronic heavy drinkers. Your healthcare provider will likely recommend that you also focus on improving your diet in ways that help your heart.