The virus that affects the heart are the influenza (flu) virus, Coxsackie virus, and adenovirus.
The viruses can result in inflammation and weakness of the heart muscle when the viruses reaches the heart and is known as myocarditis.
The condition myocarditis can damage your heart muscle and cause it to become swollen and thick which can lead to symptoms of heart failure.
The symptoms of myocarditis or virus in the heart include.
Signs of a viral infection, such as body aches, joint pain, fever, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea or a sore throat.
Rapid or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
Chest pain.
Shortness of breath, both at rest and during physical activity.
The virus that attacks the lining of the heart is viral pericarditis.
A viral infection is the most common cause of pericarditis.
For example, a chest infection caused by a virus can lead to pericarditis.
You may be prescribed medicines to help reduce the inflammation and to relieve pain.
Myocarditis can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and rapid or irregular heartbeats.
Infection with a virus is one cause of myocarditis.
Sometimes myocarditis is caused by a medicine reaction or a condition that causes inflammation throughout the body.
For some people, myocarditis can lead to dilated cardiomyopathy and they may need a heart transplant.
Almost 20% of sudden deaths in young people have a connection to myocarditis.
The survival rate for myocarditis is 80% one year after having it and 50% five years later.
Most cases of myocarditis are self-resolving. Other cases recover several months after you receive treatment.
In some cases, this condition can recur and can cause symptoms related to inflammation such as chest pain or shortness of breath.
Acute myocarditis represents a challenging diagnosis as there is no pathognomonic clinical presentation.
In patients with myocarditis, electrocardiogram (ECG) can display a variety of non‐specific abnormalities.
Nevertheless, ECG is widely used as an initial screening tool for myocarditis.
There is no cure at present for either type of myocarditis.
Physicians treat the disease's symptoms, which can include tachycardia, arrhythmias and heart failure.
In some cases, however, an autoimmune disorder may be treated alongside cardiac symptoms to support recovery.