Role of acetaldehyde in the pathogenesis of alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

Rats given both ethanol and tolbutamide showed decreased oxidative phosphorylation of the myocardial mitochondria as compared with rats given only ethanol. There were no differences in ethanol consumption and blood ethanol levels between the two groups. The concentration of acetaldehyde tended to be higher in rats given both ethanol and tolbutamide than in rats given ethanol alone. It is concluded that acetaldehyde plays a more important role in the production of alcoholic cardiomyopathy than does ethanol itself.