Viral myocarditis, it is important to understand the cause of the disease

Viral myocarditis is a very serious disease that can be caused by various viruses. Coxsackievirus B, varicella, and Epstein-Barr virus are the three most common ones. Therefore, people need to understand them early to take preventive measures and avoid myocarditis caused by these viruses. Patients with viral myocarditis need to seek medical treatment in time and recover as soon as possible.

1. Causes

It can be caused by a variety of viral infections, among which Coxsackievirus B is the most common, and varicella and Epstein-Barr virus can also cause it. According to research, about 5% of people infected with the virus may develop myocarditis after the infection affects the heart. It can be caused by direct invasion of the myocardium after viral infection, or by an autoimmune response after viral infection. The former is more common in children, while the latter is more common in teenagers. Winter and spring are the peak seasons for viral myocarditis, which should arouse people's vigilance.

2. Clinical symptoms

At the beginning of the disease, there are symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection or intestinal infection, and after 7 to 10 days, symptoms such as chest tightness, palpitations, extreme fatigue, and sweating will appear. At this time, if an electrocardiogram is performed, arrhythmias such as premature beats and signs of myocardial damage may be found. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and myocardial enzyme tests may show elevated levels. After 2-4 weeks, Coxsackie virus antibodies and anti-myocardial antibodies may be positive.

The severity of viral myocarditis varies, so the symptoms are also very different.

(1) Patients with mild, localized lesions may have no symptoms, no abnormal electrocardiogram, and no elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate or myocardial enzymes. Some people are only discovered to have myocarditis during autopsy due to an accident.

(2) In severe cases, there are obvious symptoms, including diffuse enlargement of the heart and heart failure, resulting in significant shortness of breath and inability to lie flat; some patients have severe arrhythmia, resulting in repeated fainting and even sudden death.

Studies have shown that viral myocarditis is more likely to occur if people continue to be stressed, overwork, engage in heavy physical labor and strenuous exercise after a viral infection. In addition, malnutrition is also a contributing factor. After viral myocarditis occurs, you must absolutely stay in bed and rest, otherwise the condition may worsen and cause serious complications.

3. Treatment measures

After suffering from viral myocarditis, you should generally rest for 3 months. If there are no symptoms later, you can gradually resume work and normal study, but you should still be careful not to overwork and should not engage in physical labor or exercise within 1 year. In addition, pay attention to a balanced diet and eat more fresh vegetables and fruits to ensure nutritional balance. Make sure you get enough sleep and rest, and avoid catching a cold, otherwise it's easy to relapse. Repeated attacks can turn into chronic myocarditis and cardiomyopathy, which can cause lifelong harm.

Currently, the therapeutic effect of Western medicine on myocarditis and cardiomyopathy is still not ideal. For patients with viral myocarditis, there is no specific antiviral drug, and comprehensive treatment measures are mainly adopted. The efficacy of the drug in treating arrhythmias in patients with chronic myocarditis is poor. The cause of cardiomyopathy is still unknown, and there is no good treatment. Myocarditis and cardiomyopathy are diseases that endanger people's health and are difficult to treat.

As with any disease, prevention is better than cure. To prevent viral myocarditis, one should first prevent colds and enteroviral infections, exercise regularly to improve the body's disease resistance, and open windows in the room frequently to ventilate the room and keep the air fresh. During the cold season, try to avoid crowded places and take precautions to prevent various viral infections. Once you discover that you have been infected with the virus, you should make sure to get enough rest and avoid excessive fatigue.