12th March 2024

Background

Myocarditis is defined as evidence of inflammation within the myocardium that is not of ischaemic origin. As a result of the clinical manifestations of myocarditis being so variable, the true incidence is impossible to determine. However, studies have reported that myocarditis is present in up to 9% of routine postmortem examinations. Prognosis is variable and dependent on the underlying cause of myocarditis. The majority of patients with viral myocarditis are asymptomatic and improve spontaneously, whilst other patients may present in acute decompensated cardiac failure requiring intensive care support.