Alcoholic cardiomyopathy

Alternative names:

cardiomyopathy - alcoholic

Symptoms:

• sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)
• pulse may feel irregular or rapid
• ankle, feet, and leg swelling
• swelling, overall
• pronounced neck veins
• loss of appetite
• shortness of breath, especially with activity
• breathing difficulty, lying down
• fatigue, weakness, faintness
• decreased alertness or concentration
• cough containing mucus, or pink, frothy material coughed up
• decreased urine output (oliguria)
• need to urinate at night (nocturia)

Note: Symptoms are usually absent until the disease is in an advanced stage. Symptoms occur because of heart failure.

Signs and tests:

Examination and tests are directed at diagnosing and evaluating heart failure. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is usually diagnosed when it is discovered as a cause of the heart failure.

Physical examination may reveal irregular or rapid heartbeat. There may be distended neck veins, enlarged liver, peripheral edema, and signs of pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs). Listening to the chest with a stethoscope (auscultation) may reveal lung crackles or abnormal heart sounds. Blood pressure may be low or may drop upon rising (orthostatic hypotension).

Heart failure may show on these tests:

• echocardiogram
• chest X-ray
• chest CT
• coronary angiography
• An ECG may show arrhythmias.
• A myocardial biopsy may be helpful to distinguish alcoholic cardiomyopathy from other diseases that may cause cardiomyopathy.

This disease may also alter the results of a CPK test.