It is believed that a long-term drinking will be one of the causes of congestive cardiomyopathy (CM). It is also possible for diagnosis of alcoholic cardiomyopathy in the majority of the patients diagnosed as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy if the history of mass alcoholic drinking is taken into consideration or proper blood test is conducted. This study is to confirm whether there is an improvement in the clinical result and cardiac function as has so far been known the case in the patients suspected of alcoholic.

Among 39 patients with dilated CM who were diagnosed by echocardiographic criteria and clinical evaluation, 11 patients who drank more than 77 g of alcoholic everyday for more than 10 years were defined as alcoholic CM. The changes of their clinical manifestations and m-mode echocardiographic findings in the patients with alcoholic CM were compared before and after treatment.

All studied patients were male with the mean age of 52.6+8.0 and the mean follow up period was 38.6 months. Of the 11 patients, 3 patients could not completely free themselves from drinking. Their symptoms on first visit ranged in such order as dyspnea (63.6%), tachycardia (54.5%), and generalized edema (27.3%). Following the treatment, dyspnea and tachycardia showed a statistically significant improvement. Echocardio-graphic parameters, ie, LV diastolic dimension (6.7±0.6 cm before treatment and 6.3±1.2 cm after treatment), LV systolic dimension (5.6±0.7 cm before treatment and 5.2±1.4 cm after treatment) and E point septal separation (13.6±9.6 mm before treatment and 10.9±6.6 mm after treatment) decreased after treatment without a significant meanings in a statistical view point. Their ejection fraction (29.6±6% before treatment and 34.5±11.1% after treatment) increased after treatment.

Cardiac symptoms of congestive heart failure and echo-cardiographic parameters in patients with alcoholic CM were improved after abstinence from alcoholic ingestion and medical treatment.