What term denotes the serious heart condition in which the heart does not pump enough blood to meet the body's demands due to alcohol use?

• A. Beriberi heart disease
• B. Alcoholic heart muscle disease or AHMD
• C. Wernicke's disease
• D. Blackout

Answer: (B)

Chronic heavy alcohol use can directly injure the heart muscle, making the heart enlarge and weaken so it can’t pump blood as well as the body needs. This condition is called alcoholic heart muscle disease, or AHMD, also known as alcoholic cardiomyopathy. It captures the idea that the heart muscle itself is damaged by alcohol, leading to symptoms of heart failure like fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling. It’s distinct from beriberi heart disease, which stems from thiamine deficiency and can affect the heart in a different way; Wernicke’s disease is a brain disorder from the same deficiency; and a blackout is a temporary loss of memory or consciousness, not a heart problem. So the term that best describes the heart condition caused by alcohol is alcoholic heart muscle disease (AHMD).