Title: Does Heavy Consumption of alcohol worsen the prognosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction? – An observational study undertaken in a rural South Indian Population

Authors: Natesan Chidambaram, Rakesh Sebastin Xavier, Nadanam Saravanan

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i11.99

Abstract

Although epidemiological evidence for the beneficial effects of low alcohol consumption on coronary artery diseases is strong, the impact of heavy drinking is less clear. There are plenty of evidences regarding the impact of alcohol consumption on acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The objective of the study is to determine the association of heavy alcohol consumption among patients with AMI with reference to Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF), admitted at Rajah Muthiah Medical College Hospital, Annamalai University, Annamalai nagar, India. Adult inpatients to the hospital with clinical features suggestive of AMI were enrolled in this study. The total number of patients was one hundred. A detailed history was recorded and physical examination was carried out. Relevant investigations, i.e Electrocardiogram, Cardiac markers including Troponin-T, Creatine Phosphokinase (CPK-MB) and Echocardiogram were done. It was observed that the complexity of disease was significantly high in patients with history of heavy alcohol consumption. These patients were prone for high systolic and diastolic blood pressure, sinus tachycardia and high activity of CPK-MB and positive troponin-T. Captivatingly, most of the patients with a history of heavy alcohol consumption had reduced LVEF indicating the severity of Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction which was statistically significant. LV failure, with a poor prognosis, is strongly associated with LV dysfunction. These findings append to the already reputable fact that heavy alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease and a predictor of poor prognosis of AMI. 

Keywords: Alcohol, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Creatine Phosphokinase, Troponin-T, Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction, Left Ventricular Dysfunction. 

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Corresponding Author

Dr Nadanam. Saravanan

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