In spite of the high prevalence of excessive alcohol consumption and of its consideration as one of the main causes of DCM, only a small number of studies have analysed the long-term natural history of ACM. Unfortunately, all the available reports were completed at a time when a majority of the current heart failure therapies were not available (Table 1). For many decades, ACM has been considered one of the main causes of left ventricular dysfunction in developed countries. Specifically in the United States, ACM was declared the leading cause of non-ischemic DCM7; a fact related to the high consumption of alcoholic beverages worldwide, which is particularly elevated in Western countries26 . In their autopsies, he described finding dilated cavities of the heart and fatty degeneration of the ventricular walls14. Chronic alcohol abuse is the main risk factor for developing this condition.<\/p>\n
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There isn\u2019t a set amount of time or alcohol consumption that will definitely cause a particular type of heart disease known as dilated cardiomyopathy. But, daily drinking of around 80 grams of alcohol or more for over 5 years can significantly increase the risk. Despite this, not everyone who drinks heavily and regularly will develop this alcohol-induced heart condition. A study in a rat model using an alcohol dehydrogenase transgene that results in elevated levels of acetaldehyde demonstrated a change in calcium metabolism at the intracellular level and a decrease in peak shortening and shortening velocity. This was interpreted by the authors as suggesting that acetaldehyde plays a key role in the cardiac dysfunction seen after alcohol intake.<\/p>\n