Ethanol and the function of failing left ventricle in patients with primary congestive cardiomyopathy
Dubiel, J.P.; Bielecki, A.; Sołtycka, M.; Horzela, T.
Acta Medica Polona 20(2): 97-110
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-608X PMID: 532705 Document Number: 153480
The effect of a single dose of ethanol (1 ml 96% alcohol per 1 kg body wt) on the function of the failing left ventricle was investigated in a group of 15 patients with primary congestive cardiomyopathy. The patients were in a hemodynamically advanced stage of the disease. Left ventricular function was assessed on the basis of changes in its contraction times. The left ventricular contraction times were slightly changed after ethanol administration already after 40 min, and the trend of these changes pointed to a further intensification of left ventricular function disturbances: the ejection time and the index of the ejection time were shortened, the pre-ejection period and the index of the preejection period were increased and the time of isovolumetric contraction was prolonged. These changes caused that the value of the ratio: pre-ejection period /ejection time, and the ratio: isovolumetric contraction time/ ejection time were increased. The observed changes of the mean values of contraction times were statistically insignificant. In relation to the results obtained in the group of controls with healthy hearts, the degree of changes of the left ventricular contraction times caused by alcohol in patients with failing left ventricle was lower, the maximum appeared earlier, while the general trend of changes in the contraction times was similar in both groups. The causes of these changes in left ventricular contraction times are discussed.