ABSTRACT
In both men and women, long-term heavy alcohol consumption is associated with many adverse medical consequences, including the development of a dilated cardiomyopathy (herein referred to as alcoholic heart muscle disease (AHMD)) [1]. In men, the associated clinical features of AHMD include ventricular dilation and mild hypertrophy, decreased systolic function and impaired left ventricular (LV) relaxation [2,3]. Data from recent studies indicate the female gender may be a risk factor for the development of AHMD [4,5]. This is because women who have developed AHMD report a lower total lifetime dose of alcohol compared to alcoholic men with AHMD [4,5]. The aim of this chapter is to review evidence that suggests gender differences in alcohol-related problems, specifically myocardial dysfunction and the development of AHMD.
