Cardiac neuropathy in chronic alcoholics.
Measurement of beat-to-beat variations was employed in a group of 14 chronic alcoholics and compared with a group of normal individuals. A significant increase in the number of runs was found in the alcoholics reflecting impaired neurogenic control of the heart. It is concluded that cardiac neuropathy should be considered as a contributing factor to the development of alcoholic cardiomyopathy.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged