Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a disease in which the chronic long-term heavy use of alcohol (i.e., ethanol) leads to heart failure. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a type of dilated cardiomyopathy typically found in people with alcohol use disorder. Due to the direct toxic effects of alcohol on heart muscle, the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently, leading to heart failure. It can affect other parts of the body if the heart failure is severe. It is most common in males between the ages of 35 and 50.
