Why does heart failure become likely in individuals with untreated beriberi?

💡 Explanation

Beriberi is caused by thiamine deficiency, which impairs pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, key enzymes in the Krebs cycle. Because these enzymes are crucial for cardiac energy production, impaired function leads to heart failure due to insufficient ATP, therefore, cardiac energy production becomes impaired, rather than issues with blood cells, sodium handling, or liver function.

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