Is myocarditis cough severe?

Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
Updated on December 02, 2024
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Patients with myocarditis often exhibit early symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and in severe cases, chest tightness and shortness of breath, even leading to shock or death, and syncope. Typically, the cough is not too severe, but if myocarditis is suspected, the patient should go to the hospital for timely diagnosis. Primary diagnostic tests include electrocardiogram, myocardial enzymes, and cardiac ultrasound. Once diagnosed, hospitalization for immediate treatment is necessary to prevent the condition from worsening. Because fulminant myocarditis can lead to death within days from minor symptoms, all myocarditis patients should be treated as severe cases and not be neglected.

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Written by Xiao Chang Jiang
Cardiology
1min 41sec home-news-image

How is myocarditis treated?

Let's talk about how myocarditis is treated. Myocarditis is actually considered a self-limiting disease with no specific cure. However, treatment generally revolves around symptomatic treatment, combining conventional care and symptom management. For general treatment, bed rest is highly recommended for patients suffering from acute viral myocarditis to reduce the strain on the heart. Patients suffering from severe arrhythmias or heart failure are advised to rest in bed for at least one month and are not allowed to participate in strenuous physical labor for six months. For those without cardiac morphological or functional changes, rest for half a month is recommended, followed by avoiding heavy physical activity for three months. Additional antiviral treatments, such as interferon-alpha and Astragalus membranaceus, may be used; protective cardiac therapies or immunotherapies may also be administered. Symptomatic treatment mainly targets patients with severe heart failure or severe arrhythmias, following conventional treatment protocols for these conditions. For patients with complete atrioventricular block, temporary pacemakers may be used, and permanent pacemakers can be installed depending on the situation if the block cannot be resolved. Depending on the type of arrhythmia, antiarrhythmic medications like beta-blockers, amiodarone, and others may also be used. As each patient's cause of illness, severity, and physical constitution vary, it is essential to undergo personalized treatment under the guidance of a doctor.

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Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
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Is myocarditis easy to treat?

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.)

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Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
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Can people with myocarditis drink alcohol?

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. Its pathogenesis is due to direct damage to the myocardium caused by viruses, and the interaction of the virus with the body's immune response to both myocardial injury and microvascular damage, which impairs the structure and function of the myocardial tissue. Drinking alcohol affects the myocardium and can also cause damage to it. Therefore, alcohol should not be consumed with myocarditis, as drinking can further aggravate the myocardium, leading to heart failure.

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Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
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post-myocarditis syndrome

Patients with myocarditis generally have a self-limiting condition; it can heal completely without any treatment. However, sometimes, some myocarditis cases are fulminant, leading to acute heart failure or sudden death. For self-limiting diseases, since the condition is relatively mild, not receiving timely treatment can leave sequelae, such as some dilated cardiomyopathies, which are often due to the transformation from myocarditis. Therefore, for patients with myocarditis, we should follow up and conduct regular reviews to avoid the occurrence of dilated cardiomyopathy.

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Written by Xiao Chang Jiang
Cardiology
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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.