Although only examined in the 18% ethanol group, ATP production was significantly decreased (5.18 ± 0.54 pg/ml) compared to the control group (7.40 ± 0.64 pg/ml) (33). The majority of the echocardiographic studies performed on asymptomatic alcoholics found only mild changes in their hearts https://ecosoberhouse.com/ with no clear impairment of the systolic function. For example, a slight increase in the pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection time ratio (PEP/LVET) was found by some authors, suggesting a sub-clinical impairment of systolic function21,33. Mathews and Kino found a small, but significant increase in left ventricular mass in individuals consuming at least 12 oz of whisky during 6 years and 60 g of ethanol per day, respectively22,40. Finally, only Urbano-Márquez et al24 found a clear decrease in the ejection fraction, in a cohort of 52 alcoholics, which was directly proportional to the accumulated alcohol intake throughout the patients’ lives.
Symptoms
Ethyl alcohol, also known as “ethanol” or usually just as “alcohol”, is the most consumed drug in human history 1. At present, its consumption rates are still very high, with a widespread worldwide distribution, in a global uncontrolled scenario with easy access 2. In fact, there is an increasing consumption in particular groups, such as adolescents and young people 3,4. In fact, Brandt et al.54 observed that in ALDH2-deficient mice, the most important increase in mitochondrial superoxide levels (which is the major species of ROS) is due to acetaldehyde, not ethanol. By inhibiting NOX2 (the most important superoxide-producing enzyme) with apocynin, they observed a decrease in ethanol- and acetaldehyde-induced superoxide levels.
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This dual effect creates an additional difficulty to achieve an effective control. Ethanol is one of the most addictive drugs for humans, with high physical and psychological addiction potential 7. Efforts to control marijuana addiction alcohol addiction have just 50%–60% positive results in specific cessation programs 8,9.
How is alcoholic cardiomyopathy treated?
- Today, the evidence seems to suggest that the effect is a direct result of ethanol or its metabolites, which are formed during metabolism.
- 11 Multiple case reports and small retrospective and prospective studies have clearly documented marked improvement in or, in some patients, normalization of cardiac function with abstinence.
- In fact, ACM is related to systemic damage induced by ethanol misuse and its global biological response 10,11,31.
After a person with AUD completes a rehab program, they may need aftercare support. Many treatment programs offer ongoing support groups that continue to meet and provide peer support or recommend attending alcoholic cardiomyopathy is especially dangerous because community support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). If you have alcoholic cardiomyopathy, you may benefit from attending group support meetings for people struggling with AUD and subsequent ACM. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy may not cause any symptoms until the disease becomes advanced.
What are the side effects when treating Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy (Alcohol-related Heart Damage)?
Therefore, efforts to prevent ACM development in women should be specifically addressed 97. During pregnancy, ethanol consumption should be clearly discouraged because of the possibility of fetal alcohol syndrome or the development of other congenital heart diseases 97. The quantity of alcohol consumed daily and the duration of alcohol misuse are linked to the development of ACM, although the precise thresholds for causing cardiac dysfunction remain unknown. The risk of ACM significantly increases with alcohol intake exceeding 80 g per day for a minimum of five years 3. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) and other US-based guidelines, alcohol intake recommendations are provided to promote responsible drinking habits and maintain overall health.
- The 6 subjects who experienced a clear improvement in their ejection fraction had fully refrained from drinking.
- Meta-analysis found that the use of renin- angiotensin inhibitors (RAS) lowered the risk of AF compared to treatments using non-RAS inhibitors 107.
- Factors such as genetic mutations affecting alcohol metabolism, gender-based hormonal differences, and coexisting metabolic conditions can accelerate cardiac damage.
- Ethanol is absorbed through the stomach and small intestine via passive diffusion 13.
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Fatigue can also be worsened by poor sleep quality due to symptoms like shortness of breath or chest discomfort. Excessive alcohol intake may result in increased systemic blood pressure in a dose-response relationship, and this may contribute to chronic myocardial dysfunction. Patients who consume more than two drinks per day have a 1.5- to 2-fold increase in hypertension compared with persons who do not drink alcohol, and this effect is most prominent when the daily intake of alcohol exceeds five drinks.
