[Congestive heart failure due to chronic alcoholism (author's transl)].

In rare instances, chronic alcoholism leads to the congestive heart failure which is characteristic of alcoholic beriberi with edema. The affected patients is usually a young man with longstanding alcoholic intoxication and often with neurologic features. Onset is often sudden, with dyspnea on exertion, orthopnea, and palpitations. The clinical sings of cardiac failure are unequivocal. Roentgenography shows cardiomegaly mainly due to enlargement of the right cavities and of the pulmonary artery. ECG shows sinus tachycardia and abnormal repolarisation in the precordium. The cardiac output and the cardiac index are increased, as well as the coronary output. Pyruvic acid levels exceed 15 mg/l, the provoked hyperpyruvicemia test is abnormal, thiamine levels are low, and the tryptophane test is normal. The course is variable. Cardiac beriberi progresses by exacerbation and remissions. Prognosis is poor, with a risk of sudden death. However, with adequate treatment combining rest, a low sodium diet, alcohol withdrawal, diuretics, and vitamin B1 (IV) recovery occurs. Our two observations clearly fit this description.