Myocarditis can affect anyone, and symptoms vary from mild to severe. It can also be caused by other illnesses, such as viral infections. These illnesses can cause the same symptoms, such as fever, joint pain, and body aches. They can also lead to diarrhea and sore throat. However, it is essential to get a medical diagnosis to determine the cause of your symptoms.
Treatment
There are different forms of myocarditis treatment depending on the severity of the symptoms. A mild case of myocarditis does not affect the heart’s muscle structure, but a severe case can result in abnormal heart rhythms and poor heart function. Myocarditis treatment can range from observation to medications to reduce inflammation and infection. In severe cases, hospitalization may be necessary. After discharge, the patient is usually advised to take rest and avoid strenuous physical activity.
Cardiovascular MRI is an essential diagnostic tool for myocarditis. The technique is susceptible and specific, so it can distinguish between myocarditis and other types of myocardial disease processes. The following criteria define acute myocarditis: recent onset of symptoms, increased troponin levels, and evidence of edema on CMRI.
Diagnosis is essential to determine the cause of the condition. If the disease is infectious, it may be accompanied by a fever, myalgias, or rash. If a drug causes it, the patient may have enlarged lymph nodes. If the disease has spread to the pericardium, the patient may experience chest pain, arrhythmias, or sudden death.
Virus-induced myocarditis is a complication of a viral infection of the heart. This disease occurs when the heart’s immune system attacks the heart’s healthy cells. In some cases, it requires hospitalization. When the inflammation has spread to the heart, it can cause left ventricular remodeling. Eventually, scarring occurs, resulting in hypokinetic, dilated cardiomyopathy.
Prognosis
The prognosis for acute myocarditis is poor. Although 25% to 50% of acute cases are cured by treatment, a small percentage develop persistent cardiac dysfunction. Biventricular dysfunction at presentation is this group’s most significant predictor of mortality and transplantation. Different types of myocarditis have different prognoses. For instance, focal borderline myocarditis has a high mortality rate in the first month. However, the prognosis for IGCM and eosinophilic myocarditis is poorer. In untreated cases, granulomatous necrotizing myocarditis is fatal.
The prognosis for acute myocarditis depends on the disease’s etiology and the patient’s clinical presentation. Acute myocarditis is usually asymptomatic but can manifest with ECG changes that suggest an infarct or global cardiac dysfunction. It can also present with arrhythmias or cardiac decompensation. Acute myocarditis is usually not life-threatening, but patients should be closely monitored.
A complete history and physical examination are the keys to diagnosing acute myocarditis. Endomyocardial biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing myocarditis, but other noninvasive tests can help detect the condition. However, an endomyocardial biopsy is not always performed in patients with acute myocarditis.
In most cases, the underlying cause of myocarditis is a viral infection, but a bacterial or fungal infection can also cause the disease. Other causes may include radiation therapy or pregnancy-related factors.