Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that can arise as a complication during different types of infection in the body, causing symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or dizziness.
In most cases, myocarditis arises during a virus infection, such as flu or chicken pox, but it can also happen when there is an infection by bacteria or fungi, in which case the infection is usually very advanced. In addition, myocarditis can be due to autoimmune diseases, such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, use of some medications and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, for example.
Myocarditis is curable and usually disappears when the infection is cured, however, when the inflammation of the heart is very serious or does not disappear, it may be necessary to stay in the hospital.
Main symptoms
In milder cases, such as during the flu or cold, for example, myocarditis does not cause any symptoms. However, in the most severe cases, such as those of bacterial infection, the following may appear:
- Chest pain; Irregular heartbeat; Feeling of shortness of breath; Excessive tiredness; Swelling of the legs and feet; Dizziness.
In children, on the other hand, other symptoms may appear, such as increased fever, rapid breathing and fainting. In these cases, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician immediately to assess the problem and initiate appropriate treatment.
Since myocarditis arises during an infection, the symptoms can be difficult to identify and, therefore, it is recommended to go to the hospital when the symptoms last for more than 3 days, especially because due to inflammation of the cardiac muscle, the heart starts to erect. difficulty in properly pumping blood, which can cause arrhythmia and heart failure, for example.
How the diagnosis is made
When myocarditis is suspected, the cardiologist may order tests such as chest X-ray, electrocardiogram or echocardiogram to identify changes in the functioning of the heart. These tests are especially important because the symptoms may just be caused by the infection in the body, without any change in the heart.
In addition, some laboratory tests are usually requested to check the functioning of the heart and the possibility of infection, such as VSH, PCR dosage, leukogram and concentration of cardiac markers, such as CK-MB and Troponin. Know the tests that evaluate the heart.
How to treat myocarditis
The treatment is usually done at home with rest to avoid overwork by the heart. However, during this period, the infection that caused myocarditis should also be adequately treated and, therefore, it may be necessary to take antibiotics, antifungals or antivirals, for example.
In addition, if symptoms of myocarditis appear or if inflammation is hampering the functioning of the heart, the cardiologist may recommend the use of some remedies such as:
- High blood pressure drugs, such as captopril, ramipril or losartan: relax blood vessels and facilitate blood circulation, reducing symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath; Beta-blockers, such as metoprolol or bisoprolol: help to strengthen the heart, controlling the irregular beating; Diuretics, such as furosemide: eliminate excess fluids from the body, reducing swelling in the legs and facilitating breathing.
In the most severe cases, in which myocarditis causes many changes in the functioning of the heart, it may be necessary to stay in the hospital to make medicines directly in the vein or to put devices, similar to the pacemaker, that help the heart to work.
In some very rare cases, where inflammation of the heart is life-threatening, it may even be necessary to have an emergency heart transplant.
Possible sequelae
In most cases, myocarditis disappears without leaving any kind of sequelae, it is even very common that the person does not even know that he had this heart problem.
However, when the inflammation in the heart is very severe, it can leave permanent damage to the heart muscle that leads to diseases such as heart failure or high blood pressure. In these cases, the cardiologist will recommend the use of some medications that should be used for a few months or for a lifetime, depending on the severity.
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