III. ALCOHOL AND HEART FAILURE

About the Auther > Alcohol and the Heart

More than 4 oz of alcohol causes the heart muscle to pump less forcefully. Eight ounces of gin given to normal healthy students caused a 33% reduction in the amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle into the arteries.
Can you imagine a sick heart as a handicap? Acute depression of myocardial contraction is reversible and occurs for up to 12 h after consumption of alcohol. Reversible dysfunction of the left ventricle occurs, but why the reversible defect transfers to permanent damage to the heart muscle in only a few individuals is unknown.
Individuals who have had heart failure may have one drink a day without harm. More than 2 oz of alcohol or greater than 2 pints of beer or 3 oz of wine may depress cardiac function significantly. Patients in whom heart failure is due to alcoholic heart muscle disease (alcoholic cardiomyopathy) should never consume alcohol. If the condition is stable after 10 years, they may be able to consume 2 oz of alcohol daily without further harm to the heart muscle.

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