Myocarditis: Symptoms & Treatments | MedStar Health

Inflammation of the heart that can lead to life-threatening complications

Myocarditis causes inflammation of the heart muscle and can damage the heart’s electrical system. This makes it difficult for your heart to pump blood. Myocarditis can lead to:

The cause of myocarditis may not always be identified, but is often the result of a virus, such as Lyme disease, or an upper respiratory infection.

Symptoms

In the early stages of myocarditis, you may only experience mild symptoms, but they can worsen as the disease progresses. You may experience:

Tests

Diagnosing myocarditis in the early stages is essential to preventing long-term damage to the heart. Our specialists may recommend one or more diagnostic and imaging procedures.

Treatments

Although myocarditis can improve on its own, treatment will depend on the symptoms you experience. This could include lifestyle modifications, medication, or more advanced treatments.

Ask MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute

Have general questions for our heart and vascular program? Email us at AskMHVI@medstar.net. If you have clinically-specific questions, please contact your physician’s office.