Alcohol and heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Current heart failure (HF) guidelines note that alcohol use should be discouraged or restricted in patients with HF resulting from left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Existing knowledge is limited in the area of HF and alcohol.


RESULTS
The purpose of this article is to review the evidence regarding the acute and long-term use of alcohol in the setting of HF. In addition, general aspects about alcohol and alcoholic beverages that are important for understanding and interpreting alcohol-related literature are reviewed and that can be used when discussing alcoholic beverage use with patients with HF.


CONCLUSIONS
There is some emerging evidence that suggests light drinking (1 to 14 drinks per week) is safe and even beneficial in HF patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). However, there are no effects of light drinking in HF patients with nonischemic LVD. Clinicians should reinforce the importance of evidence based pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies in HF.
Piano
Mariann R
MR
University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing 60612, USA.
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D013995:Time; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol