ALCOHOLIC CARDIOMYOPATHY

Course overview

ALCOHOLIC CARDIOMYOPATHY (ACM) IS A CARDIAC DISEASE CAUSED BY CHRONIC ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY VENTRICULAR DILATION AND IMPAIRMENT IN CARDIAC FUNCTION. ACM REPRESENTS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF NON-ISCHEMIC DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY. THE MAJOR RISK FACTOR FOR DEVELOPING ACM IS CHRONIC ALCOHOL USE; HOWEVER, THERE IS NO CUTOFF VALUE FOR THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION THAT WOULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACM. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF ACM, ITS CAUSES, PRESENTATION AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT. ACM IS CHARACTERIZED BY INCREASED LEFT VENTRICULAR MASS, DILATATION OF THE LEFT VENTRICLE, AND HEART FAILURE (BOTH SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC). THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.