CARDIAC SARCOIDOSIS

Course overview

CARDIAC SARCOIDOSIS IS AN INFILTRATIVE CARDIOMYOPATHY THAT RESULTS FROM GRANULOMATOUS INFLAMMATION AFFECTING THE HEART. ONE-FOURTH OF PATIENTS WITH SARCOIDOSIS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE CARDIAC INVOLVEMENT. DIAGNOSIS OF CARDIAC SARCOIDOSIS IS OFTEN A CLINICAL CHALLENGE. THE CLINICAL PRESENTATION IS VARIABLE AND INCLUDES CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH, VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIA, OR ATRIOVENTRICULAR BLOCK. IT IS A RARE CONDITION WITH A POOR PROGNOSIS. CARDIAC INVOLVEMENT PORTENDS A POOR PROGNOSIS AND LEFT VENTRICLE EJECTION FRACTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PREDICTOR OF MORTALITY IN CARDIAC SARCOIDOSIS. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RECOGNIZE THE RARE DISEASE AND INITIATE RELEVANT WORKUP. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM TO EVALUATE AND MANAGE PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.