Left ventricular performance in alcoholic patients without chronic liver disease

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Chronic alcohol consumption is linked to cardiac dysfunction.
• The impact of recent alcohol intake versus prolonged abstinence on cardiac performance requires further elucidation.
• Non-invasive assessment of left ventricular function in alcoholics without liver disease is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate left ventricular (LV) performance in chronic alcoholics with and without recent alcohol consumption.
• To compare cardiac function in abstinent alcoholics, recently drinking alcoholics, and healthy controls.
• To determine the reversibility of alcohol-induced cardiac abnormalities.

Main Methods:

• Non-invasive assessment of LV performance at rest and during submaximal exercise.
• Utilized first passage and multigated radionuclide cardiography for cardiac output, stroke volume, and LV ejection fraction.
• Measured plasma noradrenaline concentrations and hemodynamic variables.

Main Results:

• Abstinent alcoholics (Group A) showed mostly normal hemodynamics, with a blunted LV end-systolic volume index response to exercise.
• Recently drinking alcoholics (Group B) exhibited increased heart rate, elevated plasma noradrenaline, and impaired stroke volume index response during exercise.
• Group B demonstrated reduced end-systolic contraction, smaller increases in LV ejection fraction during exercise, and increased diastolic blood pressure compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Cardiac abnormalities in chronic alcoholics may be reversible with abstinence, provided no liver disease is present.
• Recent alcohol consumption acutely increases sympathetic nervous system activity.
• Acute alcohol intake impairs cardiac contractility and increases afterload during physical stress.