12/24/12

Recreational Drug and Alcohol Abuse Can Cause Heart Failure

The number one cause of death in the United States is heart failure. There are several causes of heart failure, but the most preventable cause of it is recreational drug and alcohol abuse. The effect of this abuse is so detrimental that it distorts the size and shape of the heart to the point where the heart cannot pump blood sufficiently through it and out to the body.
Cocaine is the number one recreational drug that can cause heart failure. Cocaine and alcohol abuse can disfigure the heart so much that the muscle fibers in the heart are stretched to capacity causing a condition called Dilated Cardiomyopathy. This is where the heart muscles are stretched so far that they lose their elasticity and cannot contract back. This will leave the heart chambers fully dilated where the heart can fill with deoxygenated blood from the body and cannot pump oxygenated blood from the lungs out to the body. Other causes of Dilated Cardiomyopathy are Chaga's disease and Doxorubicin use.
Cardiomyopathy is a muscle disease of the heart. There are three types of Cardiomyopathy (Dilated, Hypertrophic, and Restrictive). Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a systolic disorder where there is a problem contracting the heart muscles, preventing blood from being pumped from the heart to the body. Hypertrophic and Restrictive Cardiomyopathies are diastolic disorders where there is a problem relaxing the heart muscles preventing the heart chambers from filling with enough blood to be pumped out to the body to fulfill bodily functions.
The good news about Dilated Cardiomyopathy is that it is reversible with discontinued use of recreational drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, long term use of them can cause irreversible damage. If there is long lasting damage to the heart, there are several medications that can be given to treat Dilated Cardiomyopathy. The top medications that can best treat Dilated Cardiomyopathy are ACE Inhibitors (Captopril) and diuretics, like Thiazides (Hydrochlorothiazide) and Loop diuretics (Lasix). These drugs work to dilate the arteries from the heart and kidneys to flush out all the retained blood from the heart and toxins from the kidneys and increase contractility of the heart muscles.
The best advice doctors can give patients is to eat foods from every food group, drink plenty water, exercise daily, and do not add toxins from drugs and alcohol to your body to harm it in any way. These steps will help you live a very happy, healthy, long life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7425260

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