Beriberi heart disease. A case report describing the haemodynamic features.

Beriberi heart disease should be considered in all patients with cardiac failure and a history of alcohol abuse or dietary deficiency. We studied the haemodynamic changes which took place immediately after intravenous administration of thiamine to a patient with high-output beriberi. Cardiac output and stroke volume fell rapidly, but not below normal levels, and systemic vascular resistance rose.