Myocarditis

Alternative names:

inflammation of heart muscle

Symptoms:

• fever
• vague chest pain
• joint pain
• palpitations
• rapid heartbeat
• signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• urine output, decreased
• swelling, overall
• occasionally, signs of brain involvement (encephalopathy) may be present if the cause is viral

Signs and tests:

The diagnosis is made on the basis of symptoms that appear within 6 months of recent infection. A physical examination shows a rapid heartbeat (tachycardia). There are often signs of heart failure, including congestion in the systemic (body) or pulmonary (lung) veins.

Tests used in the diagnosis of myocarditis include:

• ECG, showing abnormalities (transient S-T wave changes and reduced QRS voltage)
• chest X-ray
• a biopsy of heart muscle, confirming the diagnosis
• cultures (may be performed if infection is suspected as a cause of the disorder)