The dangers of myocarditis

Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
Updated on September 19, 2024
00:00
00:00

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Most cases of myocarditis are self-limiting, but if not treated promptly, it can progress to dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy often begins insidiously. Once symptoms appear and the patient enters the stage of heart failure, the condition becomes very serious. Additionally, a minority of patients experience a fulminant onset, leading to acute decompensation or sudden death. Fulminant myocarditis and severe myocarditis progress quickly and have a high mortality rate, thus highlighting the dangers of myocarditis.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xiao Chang Jiang
Cardiology
59sec home-news-image

Is myocarditis serious?

Is myocarditis serious? In fact, myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Patients with myocarditis may experience symptoms such as fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, discomfort or pain in the precordial area, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc. During examinations, we often see slight enlargement of the heart, arrhythmias, gallop rhythm, and other manifestations of heart dysfunction. In severe cases, myocarditis can lead to fulminant myocarditis, such as severe heart failure or cardiogenic shock, often accompanied by arrhythmias. Even with timely and standard treatment, death may occur due to the severity of the condition. Even if patients with myocarditis recover, they may still have some sequelae on the electrocardiogram, such as atrioventricular block, bundle branch block, premature beats, or junctional rhythm.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
49sec home-news-image

Manifestations of myocarditis

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Its manifestations depend on the extent and location of the condition; mild cases may have no symptoms, while severe cases can lead to cardiogenic shock and sudden death. Most patients experience precursor symptoms of viral infection one to three weeks before onset, such as fever, general fatigue, and muscle soreness, or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Subsequently, they may experience palpitations, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and potentially fainting or sudden death. Clinically diagnosed myocarditis is mostly due to arrhythmias as the primary complaint, or patients seek treatment for common symptoms.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xiao Chang Jiang
Cardiology
33sec home-news-image

Is myocarditis contagious?

Many people often ask if my myocarditis is contagious. Actually, myocarditis is a focal inflammatory lesion of the myocardium or a diffuse inflammatory disease of the entire myocardium. It is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Based on the cause, we classify it into infectious and non-infectious types. The infectious type is mostly caused by viruses, such as Coxsackievirus B, or by bacteria, while non-infectious type is caused by allergies. Generally, they are not contagious.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tao Kun
Geriatrics
42sec home-news-image

Difference between myocarditis and myocardial injury

Myocarditis is inflammation of the myocardial cells caused by a virus that has not been timely cleared following a respiratory or gastrointestinal viral infection. It is a term used for disease diagnosis. Myocardial injury, on the other hand, refers to the necrosis of myocardial cells due to various factors, including viral myocarditis and myocardial ischemia caused by the narrowing of coronary arteries. Therefore, myocardial injury is a state diagnosis, not a term used for disease diagnosis. Myocardial injury usually leads to elevated levels of troponin.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
34sec home-news-image

What should be avoided in the diet for myocarditis?

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Currently, there is no specific treatment for myocarditis. Patients should avoid fatigue, rest adequately to reduce cardiac load, and pay attention to nutritional intake. It is encouraged to eat easily digestible foods that are rich in vitamins and high in protein, and to avoid spicy, greasy, and hard-to-digest foods. Additionally, it is advisable to consume more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in vitamin C.