ACUTE MYOCARDITIS

Course overview

ACUTE MYOCARDITIS IS INFLAMMATION OF THE MYOCARDIUM. IT IS TYPICALLY SEEN IN INFANTS AND TEENAGERS BUT CAN OCCUR AT ANY AGE. IT MOST COMMONLY RESULTS FROM A VIRAL ILLNESS; HOWEVER, IT 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 OF ACUTE MYOCARDITIS. HOWEVER, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF MYOCARDITIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.