[Myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy]

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. The most common cause of myocarditis is viral infection in industrialized countries. Myocarditis with left ventricular dysfunction is called inflammatory cardiomyopathy and is the major cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. The clinical picture is very diverse, most often the patient present with signs of heart failure, arrhythmic symptoms and chest pains. Despite significant advances in non-invasive diagnostics, particularly magnetic resonance imaging, endomyocardial biopsy remains the gold standard of myocarditis diagnosis. Myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy therapy is primarily based on the restriction of physical activity and the pharmacotherapy of heart failure. Specific treatment - immunosuppressive or antimicrobial - may be considered in some cases according to endomyocardial biopsy results. Implantation of mechanical cardiac support or heart transplantation is indicated only in the most serious cases.Key words: clinical course - diagnostics - inflammatory cardiomyopathy - myocarditis - treatment.