The heart in chronic alcoholism: a noninvasive study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular Research
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Chronic alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Subtle cardiac changes may occur in asymptomatic individuals with long-term alcohol abuse.
• Early detection of cardiac dysfunction in alcoholics is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate cardiac function in asymptomatic chronic alcoholic subjects using echocardiography and systolic time intervals.
• To identify structural and functional cardiac abnormalities associated with chronic alcohol intake.
• To investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and left ventricular hypertrophy.

Main Methods:

• Echocardiography was performed on 73 chronic alcoholic subjects and normal controls.
• Systolic time intervals were measured to assess cardiac contractility and timing.
• Subjects were asymptomatic, under 45 years old, with no history of hypertension or heart disease.

Main Results:

• Chronic alcoholics showed significantly increased left ventricular wall thickness, interventricular septum thickness, and left ventricular mass compared to controls.
• Echocardiographic indices of myocardial contractility (ejection fraction, wall excursion, circumferential fiber shortening) were normal.
• Systolic time intervals revealed shortened ejection time and prolonged pre-ejection period in alcoholic subjects.

Conclusions:

• Approximately half of asymptomatic chronic alcoholics exhibit left ventricular hypertrophy without impaired myocardial contractility.
• Abnormal systolic time intervals in this population may suggest decreased myocardial compliance.
• These findings highlight the potential for subclinical cardiac remodeling due to chronic alcohol abuse.