[Functional status of the heart conduction system and myocardial contractility in patients with alcoholic heart damage].

Abstract

33 patients with alcoholic heart damage (AHD) were studied. The diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms of chronic alcoholism, roentgenocontrast coronaroangiography and ventriculography (in some cases with endomyocardial biopsy), echocardiography, bicycle exercise test and on exclusion of other cardiovascular diseases. In all the patients intracardiac electrophysiological study was performed. Younger persons systematically abusing alcohol and having no pronounced clinical picture of cardiovascular damage exhibited symptoms of functional conduction disturbances located mainly in ventricular conduction pathways and AV-node and more rarely in the sinus node and His-Purkinje's system. AHD in younger persons could have 2 different clinical courses. 1) with prevailing damage in conductive structures; 2) with prevailing damage of contractile myocardium.