What is myocarditis?
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium).
A viral infection usually causes myocarditis, but it can result from a reaction to a drug or be part of a more general inflammatory condition.
Severe myocarditis weakens your heart so that the rest of your body doesn't get enough blood.
Treatment for myocarditis depends on the cause.
Symptoms
If you have a mild case of myocarditis or are in the early stages, you might have no symptoms or mild ones, such as chest pain or shortness of breath.
In serious cases, the signs and symptoms of myocarditis vary, depending on the cause of the disease.
Common myocarditis signs and symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Rapid or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
- Shortness of breath, at rest or during physical activity
- Fluid retention with swelling of your legs, ankles and feet
- Fatigue
- Other signs and symptoms of a viral infection, such as a headache, body aches, joint pain, fever, a sore throat or diarrhea
Myocarditis in children
When children develop myocarditis, they might have signs and symptoms including:
- Fever
- Fainting
- Breathing difficulties
- Rapid breathing
- Rapid or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
Causes
Often, the cause of myocarditis isn't identified.
Potential causes include:
- Viruses.
- Bacteria.
- Parasites.
- Fungi.
Complications:
Severe myocarditis can permanently damage your heart muscle, possibly causing:
- Heart failure.
- Heart attack or stroke.
- Arrhythmias.
- Sudden cardiac death.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/myocarditis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352539
