Clinical approach : Acute Myocarditis & Cardiomyopathy in Children

Acute myocarditis and cardiomyopathy are serious heart conditions affecting children. Myocarditis involves inflammation of the heart muscle, often triggered by viral infections. Cardiomyopathy encompasses various heart muscle diseases, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common type in...

• Myocarditis and cardiomyopathy in children are significant cardiac disorders, with viral myocarditis being a major cause of mortality and morbidity. Myocarditis involves inflammation and necrosis of the myocardium, leading to congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and potentially sudden death. Diagnosis involves evaluating acute phase reactants, cardiac biomarkers, ECG, echocardiography, and in select cases, cardiac MRI and endomyocardial biopsy. Treatment is primarily supportive, focusing on managing heart failure with medications like diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and inotropes, along with mechanical support when needed.