Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy: Translation Model.

We developed a translation model of alcoholic cardiomyopathy in rats. By the end of forced alcoholization (the rats received 10% ethanol solution as the only source of fluid for 24 weeks; mean daily ethanol consumption was 5.0-6.5 g/kg), the rats developed dilated heart failure. Echocardiography and morphometric study of the myocardium revealed a decrease in inotropic function of the heart and dilatation of the right and left ventricles. Fatty degeneration of the myocardium (pathognomonic sign of alcoholic cardiomyopathy) and decrease in electrical stability of cardiomyocytes reliably reproduce the clinical pattern of alcoholic cardiomyopathy.