How to Recognize Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (AC) is a form of dilated cardiomyopathy caused by habitual alcohol abuse. Excessive alcohol abuse weakens the heart which then cannot pump blood properly. This in turn affects blood flow to other major organs including the lungs, brain, liver, kidneys and other organs resulting in tissue damage and major organ dysfunction.

Instructions

What to Look For in AC (Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy)

• 1

  Be aware of any breathing difficulties. Shortness of breath and breathing problems while lying flat need to be addressed and immediately checked out by your primary care physician. Delivery of oxygen to vital organs is severely hindered when the lungs are compromised.

• 2

  Check yourself for other symptoms of concern, including loss of appetite, swelling of feet and ankles, overall swelling, fatigue, palpitations, rapid pulse, decreased alertness, cough containing mucus or frothy pink type substance, frequency at night (a need to urinate during the night called nocturia) and decreased urine output (oliguria) during the day may be present in a patient suffering from alcoholic cardiomyopathy. These health issues should be thoroughly investigated by your physician and followed up by a consultation by a specialist.

• 3

  Call you doctor. or nurse immediately to let them know if you start to develop symptoms.

• 4

  Visit your doctor if they recommend it. An examination may have to be performed to evaluate your condition. Tests conducted by your health care provider may include a complete physical through which he may discover heart murmurs, swollen neck veins, obesity, enlarged liver, rapid/irregular heartbeat, abnormal heart sounds and abnormal lung sounds. Ankle and/or leg swelling indicates congestive heart failure (CHF), a complication of AC. Diuretics and elevation of the legs may help with CHF symptoms.

• 5

  Abstain from alcohol and smoking. Enlargement of the heart and fluid-filled chambers and valves may be found using a chest x-ray or CT. Once abnormalities are found in the heart the damage is irreversable. Abstinence from alcohol may see an improvement in the patient's health; refraining from smoking may also improve overall health.