This inflammation of the heart muscle tissue can also affect boys and be fatal. There are two main forms: fulminant, associated with severe heart failure, non-fulminant, which is not life-threatening
A myocarditis cut short the life of a 6-year-old girl in Piacenza. Can this inflammation of the heart muscle tissue also affect boys and be fatal?
What is it?
Fulminant myocarditis ain
inflammation of the muscle tissue of the heart (myocardium) which can also affect young people, even children. There are two main forms: fulminant and non-fulminant. Although it is reversible in most cases, it can sometimes have serious consequences or even be fatal; sometimes, in fact, it can present itself in a very serious form, damaging the heart to the point of endangering the patient’s life. Hence the importance of grasping the alarm bells and immediately starting a correct process.
The lightning form associated with one severe heart failuresuch as to require intensive treatment.
The non-fulminant formwhich can lead to some degree of cardiac dysfunction, is not life threatening.
Symptoms
Acute myocarditis can present with chest pain similar to that of a myocardial infarction, or with sudden shortness of breath. Usually it affects young people, even childrenand can be preceded in the days preceding the onset of the ache and flu-like symptoms or and fever. In the majority of cases, hemodynamic compromise is not reached and the benign course resolves within a few days. In any case, in the face of these symptoms, it is good to carry out investigations.
Possible causes
Myocarditis can be of infectious nature, for example as a result of viral infections; di toxic natureas can happen in those who use some antipsychotics; autoimmunefor example in predisposed individuals who have had manifestations of other forms of autoimmunity (thyroiditis, ulcerative colitis, etc.) or who suffer from particular syndromes (sarcoidosis, etc.).
The diagnosis
A few may be required for the diagnosis of myocarditis general examsincluding blood tests (levels of some enzymes indicating damage to the heart muscle, infectious disease tests, etc.), chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram. In low-risk patients, MRI may be sufficient. A certain diagnosis can only be obtained by running the
myocardial biopsy
an invasive investigation that must be performed and interpreted by expert personnel: it consists in taking a few millimeters of tissue with a clamp (biotome), mounted on a catheter that is introduced from a large vein, usually the right internal jugular .
Possible cures
There are no specific therapies for myocarditis. In addition to bed rest, resorting to therapies to counteract symptoms and complicationsfor example with drugs to control heart failure, arrhythmias and pain. In any case, the treatment must be made “tailor-made” for each individual patient.
If, for example, they are suspected autoimmune forms it may be necessary to resort to cortisone, immunosuppressants or biological drugs.
If instead the toxic myocarditisthe implicated drug must first be discontinued.
I patients at risk (fulminant myocarditis or significant but tolerated cardiac dysfunction, autoimmune syndromes, severe arrhythmias) should be promptly addressed at specialized centresable to meet diagnostic (MRI and biopsy) and therapeutic (intensive care, etc.) needs.
Most of the time myocardial damage regresses, reaching in many cases to normalization, but in some patients myocarditis can involve a permanent heart failure.
March 27, 2023 (change March 27, 2023 | 17:14)
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