Description

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart wall. Myocarditis can affect both the heart's muscle cells and the heart's electrical system, leading to problems with the heart's pumping function and irregular heart rhythms. Myocarditis can also be caused by viral infections or systemic inflammatory conditions such as additional autoimmune disorders. In severe cases of myocarditis, the heart muscle weakens and cannot pump blood effectively to other parts of your body. There are 3 types of myocarditis: acute, chronic, and lymphocytic.

Prevalence

US Cases: 68,000 - 83,000 [Lancet 2018]

Notes:

1. Lack of sensitivity in diagnostic tools may have caused an underestimation of its true prevalence.
2. The prevalence of myocarditis is up to 42% in cases of unexplained deaths in people aged 35 or younger

Typical Age of onset

Childhood - Age 3
Adult - 35

Symptoms

• Easy or excessive bruising (purpura)

• Rash - pinpoint-sized reddish-purple spots (petechiae) usually on the lower legs

• Bleeding from the gums or noseBlood in urine or stools

• Unusually heavy menstrual flow

• Chest Pain 

• Fatigue 

• Headache 

• Shortness of breath

• Leg swelling 

Sources:  Mayo Clinic, Healthline

Resources

Link to Clinical Trials

Link to Scientific Publications

References

Healthline
Hopkins Medicine
Mayo Clinic
Medscape
NIH - Rare Disease  

May 2024 Update by Lauren Young