How alcoholic cardiomyopathy diagnosed?

How alcoholic cardiomyopathy diagnosed?

A doctor can diagnose alcoholic cardiomyopathy based on a combination of diagnostic tests, your medical history and by asking you questions about your lifestyle and personal circumstances. A medical provider uses those means because they need to confirm the following:

• Changes in the shape of your heart. Dilated cardiomyopathy makes your heart change in very specific ways, and doctors — especially cardiologists (doctors who specialize in heart conditions) have training that helps them spot these changes.
• Causes other than chronic heavy drinking. Diagnosing alcoholic cardiomyopathy means ruling out any other possible causes of dilated cardiomyopathy. Other causes include drugs (prescription or recreational), inherited or genetic conditions, immune system disorders and more.
• Chronic heavy alcohol use. After ruling out other causes, confirming heavy alcohol use is the final step. If you aren’t a long-term heavy drinker, a doctor will likely diagnose it as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (idiopathic means the cause is unknown).