Arrhythmias in viral myocarditis and pericarditis

A John Baksi; G Sunthar Kanaganayagam; Sanjay K Prasad

doi:10.1016/j.ccep.2015.03.009

Arrhythmias in viral myocarditis and pericarditis

Card Electrophysiol Clin. 2015 Jun;7(2):269-81. doi: 10.1016/j.ccep.2015.03.009. Epub 2015 Mar 31.

Authors

A John Baksi¹, G Sunthar Kanaganayagam¹, Sanjay K Prasad²

Affiliations

¹ Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College London, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK; Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK.
² Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College London, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK; Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK. Electronic address: s.prasad@rbht.nhs.uk.

PMID: 26002391
DOI: 10.1016/j.ccep.2015.03.009

Abstract

Acute viral myocarditis and acute pericarditis are self-limiting conditions that run a benign course and that may not involve symptoms that lead to medical assessment. However, ventricular arrhythmia is frequent in viral myocarditis. Myocarditis is thought to account for a large proportion of sudden cardiac deaths in young people without prior structural heart disease. Identification of acute myocarditis either with or without pericarditis is therefore important. However, therapeutic interventions are limited and nonspecific. Identifying those at greatest risk of a life-threatening arrhythmia is critical to reducing the mortality. This review summarizes current understanding of this challenging area in which many questions remain.

Keywords: Acute pericarditis; CMR; Ventricular arrhythmia; Viral myocarditis.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Arrhythmias, Cardiac*
Humans
Myocarditis* / physiopathology
Myocarditis* / virology
Pericarditis*
Virus Diseases*