Myocarditisis an inflammatory disease affecting the heart muscle (or myocardium).
It is most often brought on by infections, immune diseases, or toxins.
This inflammation reduces the ability of the heart muscle to contract normally.
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In severe cases, myocarditis can produce permanent heart damage, includingdilated cardiomyopathyandheart failure.
Symptoms of Myocarditis
The symptoms resulting from myocarditis can vary tremendously in severity.
Some people with this condition have symptoms that are barely noticeable, while others will be more profoundly affected.
The degree of symptoms tends to correlate with the severity of inflammation present in the heart muscle.
Mild symptoms are associated with milder cases of myocarditis, while severe symptoms usually reflect a significant inflammatory process.
In more significant cases actual cardiac symptoms appear, including chest pain.
These arrhythmias usually disappear once the acute myocarditis resolves.
What Causes Myocarditis?
Many causes of myocarditis have been identified.
There has also been some research on the risk of myocarditis in those who received COVID vaccines.
How Is Myocarditis Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of myocarditis takes into account the patients symptoms and physical exam.
How Is Myocarditis Treated?
The treatment of myocarditis is aimed first and foremost at identifying and treating the underlying cause.
With aggressive treatment, many people with myocarditis will recover completely.
In addition, inflammation may smolder along for months or years, causing gradual worsening of cardiac function.
Even at that point, people who have had myocarditis should be reexamined on an annual basis.
Summary
In most cases, myocarditis is a relatively mild and self-limited heart problem.
With an accurate diagnosis, myocarditis can be treated to avoid serious complications.
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