Condition Lookup

Myocarditis

Sub-category: Inflammatory and Infectious Heart Diseases

Symptoms:
chest pain; shortness of breath; fatigue; irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias); fever; leg swelling (in severe cases)

Root Cause:
Inflammation of the heart muscle, often caused by a viral infection, autoimmune response, or exposure to toxins.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through clinical evaluation, electrocardiogram (ECG), cardiac biomarkers, echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and sometimes endomyocardial biopsy to confirm inflammation.

Treatment:
Treatment depends on the underlying cause and severity, including supportive care, medications like anti-inflammatory drugs, heart failure management, and addressing infections or autoimmune conditions when present.

Medications:
Anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., corticosteroids), immunosuppressants (e.g., azathioprine ), and medications for heart failure (e.g., ACE inhibitors like enalapril or beta-blockers like carvedilol ). In cases caused by infection, antibiotics or antivirals may be used.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Relatively rare; incidence is estimated at 10-20 cases per 100,000 people annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Recent viral infection; autoimmune disorders; exposure to toxins (alcohol, drugs); certain medications; weakened immune system

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies widely; some cases resolve completely, while others can lead to chronic heart failure or require a heart transplant.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart failure; arrhythmias; cardiogenic shock; sudden cardiac death; dilated cardiomyopathy

Pericarditis

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Inflammatory and Infectious Heart Diseases

Symptoms:
sharp chest pain (often relieved by sitting forward); fever; shortness of breath; heart palpitations; pericardial friction rub (a specific heart sound)

Root Cause:
Inflammation of the pericardium (the sac surrounding the heart), often due to viral infections, autoimmune disorders, or post-cardiac injury syndrome.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed based on clinical symptoms (e.g., chest pain relieved by sitting up), ECG changes (e.g., diffuse ST elevation), imaging such as echocardiography to detect pericardial effusion, and blood tests for inflammation markers.

Treatment:
Treatment typically includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchicine, and corticosteroids in severe or recurrent cases, along with addressing any underlying infections or conditions.

Medications:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, e.g., ibuprofen ), colchicine (to reduce inflammation and recurrence), and corticosteroids (for autoimmune-related pericarditis). Antibiotics are used for bacterial pericarditis.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Approximately 27 cases per 100,000 people annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Viral or bacterial infections; autoimmune diseases; recent heart attack; chest trauma or surgery

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Often resolves with treatment, but recurrent or chronic pericarditis may occur. Rarely progresses to constrictive pericarditis or cardiac tamponade.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Cardiac tamponade (fluid buildup compressing the heart); chronic constrictive pericarditis; recurrence of pericarditis

Endocarditis

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Inflammatory and Infectious Heart Diseases

Symptoms:
fever; fatigue; heart murmurs; shortness of breath; unexplained weight loss; petechiae (tiny red spots on the skin); janeway lesions or osler nodes

Root Cause:
Infection or inflammation of the endocardium (inner lining of the heart) and often the heart valves, typically caused by bacteria or fungi entering the bloodstream.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through blood cultures and echocardiography to detect infection and vegetation

Treatment:
Treated with prolonged intravenous antibiotics and sometimes valve surgery.

Medications:
Antibiotics such as penicillin, ceftriaxone , or vancomycin (bacterial infections); antifungals like amphotericin B for fungal endocarditis.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Approximately 3-10 cases per 100,000 people annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Prosthetic heart valves; congenital heart defects; IV drug use; previous endocarditis; rheumatic heart disease

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With prompt treatment, prognosis is generally good; untreated, it is often fatal.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart valve damage; heart failure; stroke or embolism; abscess formation; sepsis

Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Inflammatory and Infectious Heart Diseases

Symptoms:
shortness of breath; chest pain; fatigue; swelling in the legs; heart murmur

Root Cause:
Chronic damage to the heart valves caused by an autoimmune response to untreated streptococcal infections (group A strep).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed by echocardiography and clinical history of rheumatic fever.

Treatment:
Treatment includes antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, and valve repair or replacement for severe damage.

Medications:
Long-term antibiotics (e.g., penicillin prophylaxis), diuretics for fluid management, and anticoagulants to prevent embolism.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects 39 million people worldwide, primarily in low-income countries.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Untreated strep throat; poverty; poor access to healthcare; overcrowding

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Lifelong monitoring and treatment required; severe valve damage may necessitate surgery.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart failure; arrhythmias; stroke; infective endocarditis

Libman-Sacks Endocarditis

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Inflammatory and Infectious Heart Diseases

Symptoms:
often asymptomatic; fever; fatigue; heart murmurs; symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (sle)

Root Cause:
Formation of sterile vegetations on heart valves, caused by an autoimmune response in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed using echocardiography and associated with lupus serologies.

Treatment:
Treatment focuses on managing the underlying systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and anticoagulation for thromboembolic prevention.

Medications:
Immunosuppressants (e.g., hydroxychloroquine , corticosteroids) and anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin ) to reduce embolism risk.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; seen in 10-15% of individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); antiphospholipid syndrome; autoimmune diseases

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies depending on lupus severity and valve damage; risk of complications like embolism or secondary infections.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Stroke or embolism; infective endocarditis; progressive valve dysfunction