The effect of excessive alcohol consumption on the heart function and working capacity of manual workers.
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of prolonged daily excessive alcohol consumption on the heart function with particular reference to the impact on the working ability of alcoholics. The study was carried out on 54 male manual workers, 32 of whom had a median age of 40.5 years with a history of heavy alcohol consumption of more than 100 g a day over a period of 10 years or more. The study also covered 22 non-alcoholics with a median age of 38.5 years from the same work environment. The study covered laboratory tests (MCV, AST, ALT, GGT), a maximal exercise test, as well as echocardiography.


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the observed differences, the functional ability in the chronic alcoholics in this study has not yet been disrupted as far as the cardiovascular system is concerned. During the maximal exercise test alcoholics achieved on the average 10.8 METS the same as the non-alcoholics, which shows that they are still capable of performing strenuous manual work. The question which remains to be answered is whether, in view of the already observed accelerated heart rate, higher blood pressure at rest and the echocardiographic changes, the patients would develop a manifest heart disease if they were to continue to drink heavily for a period more than 10 years.
Heitzler
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Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia. Boris.Starcevic@public.srce.hr
Eremić
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D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002310:Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012306:Risk; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation