ACUTE MYOCARDITIS

Course overview

ACUTE MYOCARDITIS IS INFLAMMATION OF THE MYOCARDIUM. IT IS TYPICALLY SEEN IN YOUNG PATIENTS BUT CAN OCCUR AT ANY AGE. IT MOST COMMONLY RESULTS FROM A VIRAL ILLNESS BUT CAN ALSO BE DUE TO NON-INFECTIOUS ETIOLOGIES. GIVEN ITS VARIABLE CLINICAL PRESENTATION, THE DIAGNOSIS IS FREQUENTLY MISSED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY THE TRUE INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE OF THE DISEASE. THE CLINICAL PRESENTATION IS VARIABLE AND INCLUDES FEBRILE ILLNESS, MILD CHEST PAIN, ARRHYTHMIAS, HEART FAILURE, CARDIOGENIC SHOCK, OR DEATH. THE CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS IS OFTEN CHALLENGING, AND THE MANAGEMENT IS USUALLY SUPPORTIVE. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY AND CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF THE DISEASE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND MANAGING PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDITIS.