Alcohal Cardiomyopathy

Posted by tim foley on July 15, 1999 at 09:17:47
Several years ago, my father was diagnosed with alcohal (alcohol) cardiomyopathy. Recently he has resumed drinking a couple of glasses of wine a day. He claims it makes his heart feel better. He is on coumadin and recently bumped and bruised himself. The bruise did not cagulate and hemmoraged. He is in atrifibrilation. Several years ago he had electro cardioversion and medication to attempt a normal rythm, neither worked. He feels slugish at times and has poor eyesight. How bad is aouple glasses of wine? I know it's not good, but I can't convince him otherwise. Could his heart effect his eyesight? His face seemes a little bloated but he is not coughing. Is their any suggestions you could recommend?

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on July 15, 1999 at 12:57:37
Dear Tim
It sounds like your father is in a pretty bad situation. It is unlikely he will live much longer if he does not stop drinking completely. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy always gets worse when a patient keeps drinking. The alcohol may be making your father feel better, but not by improving his heart. Furthermore, the combination of alcohol and coumadin can be dangerous. His heart probably is not affecting his eyesight. Potentially, he could be treated more aggressively for his atrial fibrillation and his cardiomyopathy, but I would not be too eager to start new medications as long as he keeps drinking.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.