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Viral Myocarditis

Myocardium is the name of the heart muscle found on the heart wall. When this muscle develops swelling this condition is called viral myocarditis. Since the inflammation is caused by viral infection it is called viral myocarditis. Some of the signs of this condition are intense chest pain, irregular heartbeat and heart failure. This type of swelling will eventually weaken the heart muscle and affects the regular pumping action of the heart. Since enough amount of blood could not be pumped, it would restrict the supply of blood to other body parts giving rise of Blood Clots which may cause Heart Attack or Stroke.

Symptoms :

In mild case of viral myocarditis there may not be any visible symptom. The affected person may feel discomfort and ill without any heart pain. In moderate to severe cases, there may be intense chest pain, irregular heartbeat causing condition of arrhythmia in which heartbeat is rapid and shortness of breath. The affected person may feel breathless even at rest or after any strenuous exercise regimen.

In addition there may be retention of fluid on the extremities like hand and legs causing swelling. For some people, there may be fever, fatigue, and Headache and body pain accompanied by chest pain.

This disorder can occur in children making them to lose conscious and faint. Further there may be breathing difficulty, choking and bluish color on the skin indicating breathlessness.

Causes :

It is believed to be caused by coxsackie virus B which spreads its infection beginning with flu. It is the same virus that causes Common Cold. Cardiac problems are common in people with autoimmune disorders like HIV and cancer.

Bacteria belonging to group staphylococcus and streptococcus may also cause myocarditis heart infection. Sometimes parasites like Trypanosma and toxoplasma are carried by certain insects could spread this infection in your heart. Candida fungi can also cause heart infection rarely.

Certain medications like penicillin and sulfa drugs may cause allergic reaction giving rise to inflammation of heart muscle. When a person takes more of illegal drugs like cocaine or morphine he may have heart infection.

Diagnoses :

Your doctor may confirm the disorder after taking ECG, chest X-ray and MRI scan depending on the severity of the symptoms. He may also do a routine blood culture test for measuring the RBC and WBC count which may indicate the presence of antibodies.

Treatment :

Currently no effective medicines are available for treating active form of viral myocarditis. However your doctor may ascertain the condition of your heartbeat and intensity of infection and prescribe corticosteroid medicines for reducing inflammation.

He would put you on low salt diet and prescribe diuretic pills like Ace Inhibitors for controlling heartbeat effectively.

Prevention :

It is easy to prevent myocarditis rather than waiting for treating it. You need to protect your heart by reducing your weight and consumption of salty foods.

Avoid getting stressed and don’t pressurize your heart with overload of work. People who already have heart problems are at risk of getting myocarditis and hence it is necessary to follow your doctor’s advice.

Quit smoking and drinking and do regular exercises.

All these methods are given as general guidance which can reduce the risk of getting myocarditis.

Viral Myocarditis – Symptoms, Prognosis and Treatment

What is Viral Myocarditis?

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle which will decrease the strength or ability of the heart to pump blood normally. Viral myocarditis is when this condition is caused by a virus infection. Additional causes of myocarditis include medication, chemical exposure, radiation or another illness.

There are numerous different viruses which can cause viral myocarditis but in the United States is seems that Coxsackie Virus B is the most common. Other viruses which may cause myocarditis consist of echovirus, Epstein-Barr, Influenza, varicella or Chicken Pox, rubella, Mumps and the hepatitis viruses.

Viral Myocarditis Symptoms

The symptoms of this condition widely vary. With adults, it can often mimic those symptoms of a Heart Attack with mild to serious pains in the central part of the chest which can radiate to the shoulders, neck, as well as the upper arms. In more severe circumstances, the symptoms include:

Rapid pulse

Breathlessness

Arrhythmias of the heart

In infants, signs can also include heart murmurs, bluish color as well as an appetite that is poor.

Myocarditis can usually be suspected whenever arrhythmia or chest pain symptoms are remindful of Congestive Heart Failure and happen during the progression of an infectious illness, specifically a viral one. It also should be assumed when such symptoms occur in the lack of a clear diagnosis.

Myocarditis can start with symptoms of the flu that remain longer than the normal several days. If there is substantial muscle damage as well as heart chamber weakening the symptoms of heart failure can progress. Approximately a month or two later, the indications of flu merge with the symptoms of heart failure causing the following symptoms:

Fatigue during physical activity

Shortness of breath

Weakness

Malaise

If the disease is advanced and stubborn, the symptoms become immobilizing enough for the individual to see their primary care physician. But by this time, the organism usually can’t be identified or even cultured from the heart or any other place in the body.
Usually most individuals with simple myocarditis caused by Coxsackie virus do not have any symptoms and the only sign of heart inflammation is an abnormal temporary result on an EKG which measures the heart’s electrical activity. Other symptoms can include:

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Fever

Chest pain

Cardiac arrhythmias – abnormally fast, irregular or slow

Sudden loss of consciousness

Signs of heart failure – shortness of breath, leg swelling

Viral Myocarditis Prognosis

There are many sorts of infections which are viral and can upset quite a few areas of the body, including the muscles of the heart. Myocarditis may mature at the identical time as or most frequently just after, a chest or throat infection that is viral. The body’s natural immune system can clear up countless forms of viruses. This simply means that numerous cases of viral myocarditis go away by themselves within a week or two.

Viral Myocarditis Treatment

Very mild, viral- myocarditis in adults usually cures on its own with little or no treatment. In the same way, mild cases caused by additional infection frequently necessitate only taking antibiotics or added drugs to manage the causal disease.

Myocarditis which is more severe may cause marked arrhythmias of the heart as well as heart failure if the inflammation appropriately damages the muscle of the heart or myocardium.

In these cases, medications to steady the function of the heart can be needed. This can include vasodilators, diuretics, digitalis, Ace Inhibitors as well as other drugs. In many severe kind of myocarditis, steroids may also be prescribed.

Often even after myocarditis is resolved, heart muscles remain damaged permanently. If the heart is blocked or there is marked slowing of the heart rate, a pacemaker can be needed. In advanced and very severe cases, transplantation can be the only alternative.

While in the acute phase of myocarditis, individuals are counseled to rest and then slowly return to a vigorous lifestyle after there is no further sign of ongoing inflammation and injury to the heart.

Many cases of myocarditis cause very minimal damage to the heart. The function of the heart normally recuperates in these very mild cases. There is occasionally in severe cases also natural clearing up, leaving very little damage which is permanent. This is the exception and not the rule as normally in severe cases the inflammation causes chronic, progressive as well as irreversible heart damage.