Alcohol and heart disease

[mazza642]

My husband is a 53 yr old with hereditary heart disease.  He had a stent last year after being admitted as an emergency.  Doctors were able to stop the heart attack b4 it happened.  He was diagnosed with unstable angina and had an arterial blockage of 95%, hence the stent.  He is now on blood thinners and another tablet daily but was unable to continue beta blockers because of an allergic reaction.  The trouble is he still smokes (15 to 20 pd), drinks moderately each day but binge drinks (to the point of blackout/blindness) whenever he feels like it.  He says he enjoys drinking like this and has done so for 30+ years.  The fact I don't like it is, he feels, my problem not his.  I am concerned as to his long term prognosis with regard to the alcohol intake and what effect the alcohol will have with the medication.  Does anybody have any experience with regard to alcohol and heart disease?

[mazza642]

Thanks kenkeith.  Will try to get  him to discuss this with his GP.  The hospital told us very little at the time of his surgery, just did the stent and discharged him with medication, not even a hospital follow up appt.  Of course, we were very lucky to get the surgery (UK, NHS) and only got it quickly due to private ins otherwise, despite 95% blockage, we could have had wait up to a year.

[kenkeith]

It is well known that CAD also provides a virtual window into the vessels of the brain.  A diminished flow of oxygen rich blood to the brain can/will cause cognition problems (for some individuals).

[mazza642]

Thank you for your help with this.  I am now becoming increasingly concerned about his ability to remember events/conversations.  A typical example is work we did together on something complex on the PC (I do the work and he answers any personal questions I need him to answer) and a week later he has no memory of this event.  I have told him to report his memory to his GP but he refuses to do so.  He is also complaining of sighing and a feeling of inability to take a proper breath.  He does go to the GP for prescription renewals and the GP has not requested any further investigations, although I don't know how much he tells him at these visits and he won't allow me to go in with him as he knows I will mention things he doesn't.  He has had no follow ups from his initial surgery at the hospital.

Does anyone know if this is a sign the stent is not working as well as it should, or that maybe the heart disease is more widespread - arteries in the brain affected as well?

[kenkeith]

"Cardiomyopathy may be caused by many different factors, including viral infections (e.g., myocarditis), heart attacks, alcoholism, long-term, severe high blood pressure, genetic neuromuscular diseases (e.g., muscular dystrophies and ataxias), genetic metabolic disorders, complications from AIDS, and other reasons that have not yet been identified (idiopathic cardiomyopathy). Cardiomyopathy caused by heart attacks (referred to as ischemic cardiomyopathy) results from scarring in the heart muscle.

Larger scars or more numerous heart attacks increases the risk that ischemic cardiomyopathy will develop. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy usually develops about 10 years after sustained, heavy alcohol consumption. Other toxins that may cause cardiomyopathy include drugs and radiation exposure".

[erijon]

The drinking most likely won't be the problem as the smoking will most likely get him first. I don't understand it, he has a family history of heart disease, he has a stent for a 95% blockage, angina and still wants to smoke a pack a day? He needs to stop smoking immediately or they won't be able to stop the next heart attack.

As far as the drinking goes, I don't know of any drug interactions, but it is going to affect his cholesterol levels at that rate which will also cause more blockages. In addition, that kind of drinking is not good for a weakened cardio vascular system, he needs to start taking care of himself.

Good luck, sounds like you'll need it with him!

Jon