Excessive Alcohol May Worsen Condition Of Heart Patients: Study

According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, even moderate level of alcohol consumption may worsen the condition of heart failure patients with a faulty version of a gene called titin. Titin is crucial for maintaining the elasticity of the heart muscle. According to the researchers, a type of heart failure where the left ventricle becomes weak, causing lessening the ability to pump blood. The researchers strongly suggest alcohol and genetics are interacting- and genetic pre-disposition and alcohol consumption can act together to lead to heart failure.

For the study, the team analysed 141 patients with a type of heart failure called alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a type of heart failure due to long term alcohol abuse that may trigger because of drinking more than 70 units a week for five years or more. The team found that the faulty titin gene may also play a role in the condition. The results showed that 13.5 percent of ACM patients carried in them in the general population. It was explained that the condition is not simply the result of alcohol poisoning, but arises from a genetic predisposition and thus can put other family members at risk as well.

In second part of the study, the team analysed 716 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes the heart muscle to become stretched and thin. The team found that in patients whose DCM was caused by the faulty titin gene, even moderately increased alcohol intake, affected the heart's pumping power. As per the researchers, alcohol and the heart have a complicated relationship. While moderate levels may have benefits for heart health, too much can cause serious cardiac problems. This study suggests that in people with titin-related heart-failure, alcohol may only worsen the condition.

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