[Experimental data on the mechanism of development of alcoholic cardiomyopathy].

A study was made of histo- and ultrastructure and of some electron-histochemical characteristics of the myocardium and liver of alcoholic rats. Experimental animals manifested alterations in the myocardium which were similar to those seen in alcoholic cardiomyopathy in humans. In controls, such alterations were either lacking or occurred in rare cases. Rats which received ethanol showed fatty dystrophy of the liver. The experimental animals differed from controls in some morphometric parameters (body and heart weight, diameter of cardiomyocytes) as well.