In recent news, the nation learned that country singer Randy Travis was admitted to a Texas hospital with viral cardiomyopathy.
Approximately 50,000 people in the United States are hospitalized and more than 10,000 die each year from this condition. Cardiomyopathy is a weakening of the heart muscles that prevents the heart from pumping blood as well as it should. This can lead to heart failure, a condition in which fluid can build up in the lungs, feet, legs and abdomen.
Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, fluid retention and palpitations. In cases where the cause is a viral infection, symptoms can also include fever, sore throat, headache, body aches or diarrhea.
In most cases of cardiomyopathy, the heart is enlarged—a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by coronary artery disease, but myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, can cause dilated cardiomyopathy as well.
Most cases of myocarditis are believed to be caused by viral infections. A number of different viruses can cause myocarditis. Most viral myocarditis is mild and usually occurs without any symptoms. The person recovers without treatment. Sometimes, however, viral myocarditis can be severe enough to result in dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.
Cardiomyopathy can be a serious and life-threatening disease in some cases.
There are no specific treatments for the viruses that cause viral myocarditis. In patients with myocarditis severe enough to cause symptoms of heart failure, treatment is the same as for other causes of heart failure and can include medications and implanted medical devices. In severe cases, surgery and heart transplant may be necessary.
“In our Coronary Care Unit at Cooper University Hospital, we treat many patients with this condition,” says Steven M. Hollenberg, MD, Director of the Coronary Care Unit. “Most patients recover, but some can have progressive courses that require more intensive treatments. Patients with severe myocarditis are monitored in the hospital until their clinical course becomes clear. There are treatments available and we evaluate each situation according to the cause of the disease and how it progresses. The most important thing to remember is, if you are not feeling well and you have heart problems, see your cardiologist quickly to be evaluated so we can stop the problem before it escalates further.”