Morphofunctional examination of the heart in rats with the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

Using histochemical methods, light and electron microscopy, authors examined rat heart 2-6 hours, 1, 3, and 7 days after discontinuation of forced intoxication with alcohol. At the same time, they assessed the contractile function and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activity in the isolated perfused heart, and the development of animal destruction. Ethanol withdrawal was followed by escalation of vascular disorders in the heart, dystrophic changes in the subcellular structures, considerable polymorphism in enzyme distribution and activity, and formation of foci containing disintegrating myocytes with contractures. The contractile function was impaired and CPK release increased in the isolated heart. The changes were most marked 3 days after ethanol discontinuation to disappear after 7 days. Two to seven days after ethanol cessation, 13.1% of rats perished. Cardiac injury due to alcohol withdrawal syndrome may be one of the factors leading to the development of alcohol cardiomyopathy and a cause of sudden death in patients with documented alcohol abuse.