Is the rat a suitable model for studying alcoholic cardiomyopathy? Hemodynamic studies at various stages of chronic alcohol ingestion.

Three groups of wistar rats with chronic alcohol consumption were studied: 10% ethanol for 6 months, 20% ethanol for 7 months, 20% ethanol for 12 months. In the intact heart in situ, left ventricular parameters of pressure, volume, and blood flow were recorded. On the average, body weight and heart weight of the alcohol-fed rats (A) were diminished by 10% as compared with controls (C). If end-diastolic volume is related to heart weight, no significant differences in the pressure-volume relations between C and A were obtained. There were no differences in the rate of pressure rise, nor in the end-systolic pressure-volume relations. According to these findings and the results of other authors, it is concluded that the rat is not very suitable for studying "alcoholic cardiomyopathy".