The authors investigated 10 men aged 30 to 60 years who developed repeatedly attacks of atrial fibrillation. In all patients previous alcohol consumption was recorded in the case-history. In none of the patients organic heart disease was detected. In previous experiments the authors induced by alcohol administration to rats in the tracheal cells and paratracheal myelinated nerves an increased occurrence of lamellar bodies which is consistent with data in the literature which confirmed the presence of lamellar bodies in the human heart muscle in idiopathic cardiomyopathy. The authors assume therefore that alcohol induced increased presence of lamellar bodies in the myocardium which are formed during dystrophic changes, in particular from mitochondria, can lead due to reduced energy release to impaired conduction of excitation in the myocardium. This condition may be enhanced also by impaired calcium metabolism in alcoholic dystrophy.

Keywords: Adult; Animals; Atrial Fibrillation /etiology/; Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic /complications/; Ethanol /toxicity/; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated /drug effects/; Rats; Trachea /drug effects/