ABSTRACT
Chronic consumption of ethanol may result in alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM), which is the major cause of secondary, non-ischemic cardiomyopathy in the Western world. ACM appears to be caused predominantly by the following two mechanisms: (1) a direct toxic effect of ethanol and/or its metabolites (e.g., protein-acetaldehyde adducts) on the myocardium; and (2) nutritional effects (e.g., thiamine deficiency). Acute as well as chronic intake of ethanol may depress myocardial contractility, even when ingested by non-alcoholic individuals. ACM most commonly occurs in men 30 to 50 years of age who have consumed large amounts of ethanol for more than 1 decade,
and women appear to be markedly more sensitive to the toxic effects of alcohol than men.
