Difference between myocarditis and myocardial injury

Written by Tao Kun

Geriatrics

Updated on September 05, 2024

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Myocarditis is inflammation of the myocardial cells caused by a virus that has not been timely cleared following a respiratory or gastrointestinal viral infection. It is a term used for disease diagnosis.

Myocardial injury, on the other hand, refers to the necrosis of myocardial cells due to various factors, including viral myocarditis and myocardial ischemia caused by the narrowing of coronary arteries. Therefore, myocardial injury is a state diagnosis, not a term used for disease diagnosis. Myocardial injury usually leads to elevated levels of troponin.

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Written by Zhou Yan

Geriatrics

1min 14sec

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Criteria for Diagnosing Myocarditis

The diagnosis of myocarditis is primarily clinical, based on typical precursor symptoms, corresponding clinical manifestations, and physical signs. The precursor symptoms usually occur one to three weeks before the onset, including symptoms of a viral infection such as fever, general fatigue, and muscle soreness, or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Subsequently, symptoms such as chest tightness, palpitations, difficulty breathing, and even fainting and sudden death may occur. The physical signs generally include arrhythmias, commonly premature atrial contractions, premature ventricular contractions, or conduction blocks. There may be an increased heart rate which does not correspond to the body temperature, and there could be the presence of second or third heart sounds or gallop rhythm. A minority of patients may show signs of heart failure. Tests can include electrocardiograms, enzymatic studies, or echocardiograms, and magnetic resonance imaging may show symptoms of myocardial injury. To confirm the diagnosis, an endomyocardial biopsy must be performed.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei

Cardiology

54sec

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Can you exercise with myocarditis?

Patients with myocarditis should avoid exercising. Myocarditis is caused by acute or chronic damage to the myocardium due to viral infections. After contracting myocarditis, patients may experience palpitations and shortness of breath; severe cases can lead to heart failure, arrhythmias, and cardiogenic shock. For myocarditis, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for recovery. Patients with myocarditis must rest in bed, minimize physical activity, consume easily digestible foods, and eat a variety of vitamins and minerals through vegetables and fruits to maintain regular bowel movements. Effective antiviral drugs and treatments that nourish the myocardium should be used to help the damaged myocardium recover as soon as possible.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

51sec

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How to relieve myocarditis pain?

If a patient is diagnosed with myocarditis, especially viral myocarditis, and experiences chest pain, some analgesic medications can be used, particularly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). If the patient has infective endocarditis or other forms of myocarditis, it is not recommended to use pain-relieving medications due to individual differences, as this may exacerbate symptoms and mask the true condition. For general cases of myocarditis, it is sufficient to use some common NSAIDs. However, it is still important to actively treat the primary disease, control the patient's symptoms, and initially use antiviral medications predominantly, which can also alleviate symptoms. Regular echocardiogram reviews to monitor changes are also necessary.

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Written by Yao Li Qin

Pediatrics

43sec

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Is pediatric myocarditis curable?

Myocarditis in children is generally caused by a viral infection, which means viral myocarditis is the most common type. This condition indicates that the virus has damaged the myocardial cells, leading to severe symptoms such as heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Once myocarditis is diagnosed in a child, it is crucial to hospitalize and treat them actively. While treating myocarditis, it is essential to use medications that nourish the myocardium and actively treat the primary disease. Most children with myocarditis have a favorable prognosis, but fulminant myocarditis has a poor prognosis, carrying a certain risk of mortality.

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Written by Zhou Yan

Geriatrics

41sec

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What are the symptoms of myocarditis?

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium. The clinical manifestations of viral myocarditis in patients depend on the extent and location of the lesions. Mild cases may have no symptoms at all, while severe cases can lead to cardiogenic shock or even sudden death. Most patients may have prodromal symptoms of viral infection one to three weeks before onset, such as fever, general fatigue, muscle soreness, or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Subsequently, they may experience palpitations, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, edema, fainting, or sudden death.