What is a common complication associated with alcoholic cardiomyopathy?

• A. Heart failure
• B. Kidney stones
• C. Liver fibrosis
• D. Asthma

Answer: (A)

Chronic heavy alcohol use damages heart muscle, causing alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a form of dilated cardiomyopathy. The injury and remodeling weaken the heart’s pumping ability, leading to systolic dysfunction and reduced cardiac output. The most common complication that arises from this weakened heart is heart failure, with symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, and fluid buildup in the legs or lungs as the heart struggles to meet the body's needs. While alcohol can cause liver disease and other problems, those are not direct complications of the cardiomyopathy itself, and kidney stones or asthma aren’t linked to this heart condition. Stopping alcohol and following heart failure treatment helps manage and improve outcomes.