Acute Myocarditis and Acute Pericarditis in the Critical Care Unit

Acute myocarditis is a common sequelae of systemic infection bymany organisms. It is estimated to occur in 5% to 15% of common infections. Acute myocarditis develops from direct infection or after infection with the heart as a target of immune injury (1). Most cases are subclinical, but acute myocarditis can progress to congestive heart failure and death. It may also preset with ventricular arrhythmias or resemble acute myocardial infarction (MI). Myocarditis can become a chronic progressive disease and is estimated to account for 10% to 20%of cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (2). This chapter provides an overview of the clinical course of acute infectious myocarditis.