Regression of Severe Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy after Abstinence of 10 Weeks

Abstract

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy usually has a poor prognosis, but the case presented here documents a dramatic regression of left ventricular dysfunction in a patient with alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Ejection fraction determined by echocardiography increased from 12% at the time of presentation to 45% 10 weeks later. This was associated with clinical resolution of congestive heart failure and a decrease in cardiac and left ventricular size documented by chest x-ray and echocardiography.