Dialogues in Cardiovascular Medicine
is part of the continuing education programs
of the International Society for Heart Research,
of the European Society of Cardiology,
and of the Italian Society of Cardiology
This is made possible through
an unrestricted educational grant
from Servier
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Viral myocarditis and the subsequent immune response
to injury it elicits are a major cause of acute
and chronic nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.
Clinical presentation in myocarditis varies widely
from asymptomatic electrocardiographic or laboratory
findings to fulminant heart failure... |
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Virus-associated heart disease results
in a complex interaction between
the viral genome, virus-triggered
immune processes, and the heart,
giving rise to a range of myocardial
complaints. Many of the mechanisms
leading to chest pain, arrhythmia,
and heart failure are still
speculative... |
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Myocarditis remains difficult to
diagnose, mainly due to its heterogeneous
clinical presentation and
the limitations of the diagnostic
tests available. Standard diagnostic
tests such as ECG, echocardiography,
laboratory testing, and angiography
provide important clues,
but do not diagnose myocarditis
directly... |
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