Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos

Acute myocarditis

An urgent but also very serious cardiac disease is acute myocarditis. A disease that can affect all ages, from infants to very old persons. And it does not only affect them, but it looks like a series of other diseases depending on the symptoms and the person who suffers. In infancy and childhood it occurs with dyspnoea and heart failure that is related to congenital heart disease. In young age with arrhythmias, dyspnoea and pain leading thought to cardiomyopathy, valvulopathy or coronary artery disease. In older age, coronary heart disease is more suspect because the patient hurts on the chest. Older age is diagnosed with heart failure and all diseases are open.

Acute myocarditis. Causes.

And as long as the doctor is looking for a diagnosis, a deadly arrhythmia can give the tragic outcome of the disease. And if the final result is not tragic, a severe heart failure can be a permanent heritage for the patient. Therefore, immediate diagnosis and treatment is needed. The cause is an infectious disease that attacks the pericardium, causes pericarditis and is transferred to the myocardium. Therefore, the disease is an acute inflammation of the myocardium. It can be caused as a consequence of a pneumonia or it may be a complication of a virus disease. Often myocarditis is caused by a childhood disease such as measles e.g. Therefore, viruses or microbes infect the myocardium and disrupt its function.

Acute myocarditis. Symptoms

Symptoms can be chest pain, easy fatigue and weakness, shortness of breath, tachycardia or arrhythmias. Symptoms can be aggravated and acute pulmonary edema or cardiac arrest may occur. Blood pressure is often low and often there is high fever and other symptoms of the infection. Hematologically, all inflammation markers are very high (white blood cells, CRP ), and other laboratory values ​​are increased due to other organs disfunction (liver, kidney, etc.).

Acute myocarditis. Diagnosis

The cardiogram is often confusing, even to the inexperienced cardiologist. He often has the infarct image, has multiple and complex arrhythmias or has disorders of the electrical current transfer of the heart. The experienced cardiologist suspects the disease and proceeds to heart triplex ultrasound. The diagnosis comes from the combination of examinations.

Acute myocarditis. Treatment

The patient, depending on the severity of the disease, needs monitoring. Usually in a hospital or Intensive Care Unit. Liquids and antibiotics are given and sometimes antiarrhythmic drugs are needed under continuous monitoring. If everything is done quickly and correctly, the disease can be fully restored without leaving any disability. The multi-year experience in Infarct Unit ensures the right treatment of the disease in our cardiology offic.

Cardiologist marousi Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos