Is myocarditis easy to treat?

Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
Updated on September 27, 2024
00:00
00:00

Myocarditis refers to the inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Symptoms of myocarditis can vary greatly; some individuals may exhibit no symptoms, while others may experience cardiogenic shock or sudden death. Currently, there are no specific treatments for myocarditis. Patients should avoid exertion, rest appropriately, and receive nutritional support. It is advised to encourage patients to consume a diet that is easy to digest and rich in vitamins and proteins. For asymptomatic patients, attention should be paid to rest and nutrition. However, in cases where there is left ventricular dysfunction, treatment primarily supports these symptoms. For instance, in the event of heart failure, diuretics, vasodilators, or ACE inhibitors might be administered. Most cases of myocarditis are self-limiting, but there are occasional instances of fulminant or severe myocarditis, which should be taken seriously. Therefore, the treatability of myocarditis is related to the extent and location of the pathological changes. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
42sec home-news-image

The dangers of myocarditis

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
1min 14sec home-news-image

Criteria for Diagnosing Myocarditis

The diagnosis of myocarditis is primarily clinical, based on typical precursor symptoms, corresponding clinical manifestations, and physical signs. The precursor symptoms usually occur one to three weeks before the onset, including symptoms of a viral infection such as fever, general fatigue, and muscle soreness, or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Subsequently, symptoms such as chest tightness, palpitations, difficulty breathing, and even fainting and sudden death may occur. The physical signs generally include arrhythmias, commonly premature atrial contractions, premature ventricular contractions, or conduction blocks. There may be an increased heart rate which does not correspond to the body temperature, and there could be the presence of second or third heart sounds or gallop rhythm. A minority of patients may show signs of heart failure. Tests can include electrocardiograms, enzymatic studies, or echocardiograms, and magnetic resonance imaging may show symptoms of myocardial injury. To confirm the diagnosis, an endomyocardial biopsy must be performed.

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

Obvious symptoms of myocarditis

Myocarditis refers to the inflammatory disease of the myocardium, with viral infection being the most common cause. Therefore, the majority of patients exhibit precursor symptoms of a viral infection one to three weeks before onset, such as fever, general fatigue, muscle soreness, or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting. This may be followed by palpitations, chest discomfort, chest pain, difficulty breathing, edema, and even fainting or sudden death. In the clinical diagnosis of myocarditis, the majority of cases initially present with symptoms of arrhythmias such as palpitations or a racing heart, but a minority may also experience fainting or Adams-Stokes syndrome (also known as cardiogenic cerebral ischemia).

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
48sec home-news-image

Do children with myocarditis have a fever?

In general, viral myocarditis is the most common form of myocarditis in children. This condition can be caused by various viruses such as influenza, parainfluenza, Coxsackie virus, adenovirus, etc., affecting the pediatric cardiac muscle tissue, which in turn can lead to symptoms of myocarditis. Since it is an infectious disease, fever is a common symptom. Fevers associated with myocarditis might present as high or moderate. Treatment primarily focuses on cardiac recovery, nourishing the cardiac muscle, steroids, and immunoglobulins, among others. Severe myocarditis is a critical condition that requires timely diagnosis and treatment to avoid worsening the situation.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
57sec home-news-image

Is it good to soak your feet if you have myocarditis?

For myocarditis, whether soaking feet is good or bad is irrelevant because soaking feet has no effect on the treatment of myocarditis. For the treatment of myocarditis, there is general treatment and medication treatment. General treatments typically aim to reduce the cardiac load, such as resting and providing easily digestible food rich in vitamins and proteins, and soaking feet offers no benefit in these respects. Additionally, myocarditis should be treated with medications, including diuretics, vasodilators, ACE inhibitors as appropriate. If arrhythmias occur, anti-arrhythmic drugs should be provided, and if a viral infection is confirmed, specific antiviral treatment should be administered. Therefore, soaking feet is not significantly relevant. (Specific medication use should be conducted under the guidance of a doctor.)