Myocarditis, << `my` oh kahr DY tihs, >> is inflammation of the muscle tissue that forms the heart’s wall. This muscle, called the myocardium, performs the pumping work of the heart. Mild cases of myocarditis may remain undetected. Severe cases can lead to heart failure, in which the heart cannot pump enough blood for the body’s needs.
Causes of myocarditis include rejection of transplanted tissue and reactions to viruses and toxic chemicals. But in most cases, the cause is never identified.
Many symptoms of heart disease may accompany myocarditis. These symptoms include weakness, shortness of breath, and accumulation of fluids. Irregular heartbeats and enlargement of the heart may also accompany myocarditis. Doctors can detect these two signs with X rays and electrocardiograms (measurements of heart activity). However, to reach a final diagnosis of myocarditis, doctors must examine the heart tissue through a microscope. The tissue is obtained with a catheter, a long tube that is inserted into the heart by way of a blood vessel.
There is no established treatment for myocarditis. Many patients recover completely. Others live for years with the condition. Some myocarditis patients die from heart failure, which may occur during periods of acute inflammation of the myocardium or years after inflammation.
