Publication details
Myokarditidy a zánětlivé kardiomyopatie
| Title in English | Myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Kardiologická revue - Interní medicína |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Cardiovascular diseases incl. cardiosurgery |
| Keywords | myocarditis; inflammatory cardiomyopathy; clinical course; diagnostics; treatment |
| Description | Myocarditis means an inflammation of the heart muscle, in the Czech Republic mostly of viral etiology. Infection may trigger immune and autoimmune mechanisms which contribute to the impairment of myocardial function. Myocarditis is considered the most common cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Its typical manifestation is heart failure, chest pain, or arrhythmias. The most important noninvasive diagnostic method is magnetic resonance imaging; the gold standard of diagnostics is invasive examination - endomyocardial biopsy. A significant number of cases with impaired left ventricular systolic function recover spontaneously and therefore it is appropriate to postpone critical therapeutic decisions until approximately 3–6 months after diagnosis. Therapy is based on the standard heart failure treatment. Immunosuppressive or antimicrobial treatment may be considered in some cases according to endomyocardial biopsy results. The most severe cases may require device therapy. |