Myocarditis (coxsackie myocarditis)

Myocarditis, also known as coxsackie myocarditis, can be an autoimmune inflammatory response in which the body attacks its own myosin cells in the heart. Myocarditis means inflammation of the heart. Other causes of myocarditis can be bacterial or viral factors.

Symptoms of myocarditis

The most common symptoms of myocarditis are chest pain, heart failure, abnormal heart rhythm, fever and more rarely; sudden death. If the cause is viral, the most common symptoms are many of the same, but then also with diarrhea, joint pain and general fatigue. The disease often occurs at the same time as pericarditis.

Clinical signs

As mentioned above under 'symptoms'.

Diagnosis and cause

The diagnosis is made through a series of examinations (including blood tests) and a thorough medical history. To definitively diagnose the disease, one must take a heart biopsy.

The two most common causes of myocarditis are virus and Chaga's disease - the latter cause is due to a parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, which is found in Central and South America.

Who is affected by the disease?

During a routine biopsy during a study of a number of people, they discovered that 1-9% had signs of myocarditis. Up to 20% of sudden deaths in young adults are due to myocarditis.

Treatment

The most common form of treatment is with traditional heart medications, including diuretics. Surgery may be necessary if the patient does not respond to traditional treatment.

Also read: - Complete overview of autoimmune diseases