Is alcoholic cardiomyopathy condition only a chronic (long-term) problem?

Is alcoholic cardiomyopathy condition only a chronic (long-term) problem?

While the long-term effects of alcoholic cardiomyopathy tend to get the most attention, there’s also the potential for acute (short-term) problems. An example of this is a condition sometimes known as “holiday heart syndrome.”

Drinking a large quantity of alcohol in a short period can also have toxic effects on your heart muscle. This can cause a disruption in your heart rhythm called “fibrillation.” This is when the chambers of your heart try to beat so quickly that they only twitch or quiver. When chambers of your heart do this, they don’t pump effectively. This happens in one of two ways:

• Atrial fibrillation. The upper chambers of your heart are the left atrium and right atrium (the plural term is “atria”). When they fibrillate, not all the blood inside them gets pumped to the next chamber of your heart. When blood pools in those chambers, a clot can form. If that clot leaves your heart and travels to your brain, it can get stuck there and cause a stroke.
• Ventricular fibrillation. As mentioned above, the lower chambers of your heart pump the hardest. If they aren't pumping enough blood, it can cause you to pass out, or it may even stop your heart (which is deadly without quick action to restart your heart). While this problem is less common with acute alcoholic cardiomyopathy, it's still extremely dangerous.