For obvious reasons it is important to recognize alcoholic cardiomyopathy early in its natural history. Hemodynamic studies were performed in nine patients with normal ECG's and normal cardiothoracic ratios on chest x-rays. Findings were elevated mean LV end-diastolic pressure, low mean cardiac output, and depressed myocardial contractility. Thus, true functional cardiac impairment may exist in these patients even prior to the development of abnormal clinical parameters such as cardiomegaly.
