[Morphofunctional features of the left ventricle of rabbits with experimental alcoholic cardiomyopathy]

In chronic alcoholic poisoning the rabbits demonstrate an abrupt decrease in heart left ventricular contractility and a significant noticeable prolongation of the phases of isometric effort and isometric relaxation. The morphologic study of the heart showed marked myocardial hypertrophy and enhanced intramyocardial lypolysis leading to accumulation of acid lipids by the cardiac muscle. It seems likely that these lipids requiring additional oxygen amounts for utilization give rise to relative hypoxia in the myocardium. In conjunction with diastolic inadequacy this can lead to attenuation of the heart contractility and to compensatory development of myocardial hypertrophy.