Myocarditis is a disorder that results in inflammation of the muscle that pumps blood into and out of the heart and throughout the body. An inflamed myocardium causes problems like irregular heartbeats, chest pain, and breathing difficulties. What are myocarditis symptoms?
Why Does Myocarditis Occur?
Inflammation is typically your body’s response to a wound or infection. For example, when you cut your finger, the area around the wound quickly swells and gets red. These are classic symptoms of inflammation, during which your immune system’s cells rush to the area to start repairs.
However, the immune system or another source of inflammation can occasionally cause myocarditis.
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium), which can impair the heart’s ability to pump blood and result in the following myocarditis symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Breathlessness
- Rapid or irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias)
Inflammation of the heart can also result in coronary heart disease, heart failure, and other serious health issues. While there are numerous factors that can cause heart inflammation, viral infection is the most commonly identified cause of myocarditis.
What Causes Myocarditis?
Myocarditis is caused by any form of injury to the heart. Classic myocarditis occurs due to exposure to external (viruses, bacteria, parasites, toxins, drugs) or internal triggers (autoimmune). The most common cause of myocarditis is infection, particularly with that of a virus. In some cases, the disease-causing pathogen can enter the heart and directly damage the heart muscle.
An acute episode of myocarditis with no known cause is known as idiopathic myocarditis. Idiopathic myocarditis is uncommon, but when it does happen, it is typically brought on by an internal infection.
In other cases, the immune system responds to the infection by inducing an inflammatory response that may also affect the heart muscle. In addition, some autoimmune conditions, like lupus, may cause the immune system to focus on the heart instead of the infection.
The most frequent cause of myocarditis is a virus. Some viruses that are known to do so include as follows:
- Parvovirus B19
- Human Herpesvirus 6
- The coxsackievirus Group B enterovirus
- Adenovirus, a virus that causes the common cold
- SARS-cov-2 is the coronavirus that causes Covid-19
- Echoviruses are known to cause gastrointestinal illnesses.
- The Hepatitis C virus causes liver inflammation (hepatitis)
- The Epstein-Barr virus, a contagious mononucleosis-causing agent
- The herpes simplex virus can cause oral or genital herpes.
- The rubella virus is the cause of german measles.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) destroys immune system cells by targeting them.
Myocarditis can also be brought on by a bacterial infection, here are a few examples of bacteria that can do this:
- Staphylococcus aureus can cause impetigo and infections resistant to treatment (MRSA)
- The acute infection known as diphtheria, which results in the death of tonsil and throat cells, is brought on by the bacterium corynebacterium diphtheria.
- Borrelia burgdorferi causes lyme illness
- While fungi are less common causes of myocarditis, severe fungal infections are more common in people with weakened immune systems.
- Candida is typically associated with oral infections like thrush and vaginal yeast infections
- Aspergillus is a mold that can cause lung infections in those with weakened immune systems
Two autoimmune diseases that can cause inflammation in other body parts, such as myocarditis, include lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
What Are Key Myocarditis Symptoms And Indicators?
Myocarditis is uncommon, but when it does happen, it is typically brought on by an infection in the body, infections from viruses (most frequently, those that cause the common cold, influenza, or covid-19), bacteria, fungus, or parasites can cause myocardial inflammation. Myocarditis may develop without any symptoms. But when it does, the following symptoms are frequently present:
- Chest pain
- My heart skips a beat
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Your feet or legs are swollen
- Feeling faint or dizzy
You could also have the flu because myocarditis is frequently brought on by a viral infection. These symptoms can include:
Myocarditis Treatment
Clinical myocarditis is OFTEN self-limited just like a viral infection if proper support, treatment and follow up care are available. In some cases however, autoimmune reaction persists and can cause persistent cardiac dysfunction.
Possible myocarditis treatments include the following:
- Corticosteroids are medications that diminish the intensity of your immune reaction and help to minimize inflammation.
- If you have myocarditis and heart failure symptoms, your doctor may prescribe cardiac medications such as beta-blockers, ace inhibitors, arbs, and cardiac inotropes to minimize the work your heart needs to do.
- Fluid retention can be reduced with the help of diuretics and diuretic medications.
- If myocarditis is more severe or if your heart requires support while recovering, ventricular assist devices (VAD) may be used to help pump blood from the lower chambers of your heart to the rest of your body.
- If myocarditis is brought on by a medical condition like an infection or an autoimmune disease, your doctor will also make an effort to treat it.
Your doctor may also suggest the following therapies to assist reduce the strain on the heart while you recover:
- Getting plenty of rest
- Reducing your water intake
- Reducing the amount of salt in your diet
Consult your doctor for the best treatment plan.
Can Myocarditis be Prevented/ Avoided?
Although myocarditis cannot be completely prevented, avoiding infections will help reduce your risk of developing it.
Precautions you can take include:
- Regularly wash your hands
- Adopting safer sexual practices, such as: + Using contraceptives + Regularly being tested for sexually transmitted infections (stis) + New sexual partners should discuss their STI history before engaging in sexual activity + Avoidance of outdoor ticks, which can transmit lyme disease
- Stay away from those who are unwell and avoid close contact with them until they have recovered from the flu or other respiratory infections.
Key Takeaways
What is myocarditis and what are some key myocarditis symptoms? Although it can also be caused by bacterial infections, fungal infections, and autoimmune diseases, myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that frequently follows an infection. Although it frequently resolves completely, myocarditis has the potential to permanently damage the heart muscle, which can lead to problems like arrhythmia and heart failure.
It’s important to seek immediate medical attention if you experience unexplained symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath because white blood cells cause inflammation that contributes to heart disease. A doctor can evaluate your symptoms to determine whether they are caused by myocarditis or another illness.
Learn more about Heart Infections here.
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