Intermediate Care Unit
Heart failure caused by Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle)
Patient Profile
- Name: Mr. Q, 38-year-old male
- Medical History: No medical problems known
- Presenting Complaint: Chest pressure and tiredness
Summary
This is the story of a healthy 38-year-old man who felt a strange pressure in his chest for two weeks. Because he was young and had no major health problems, doctors kept sending him home, thinking it was nothing serious. But when he came to our emergency department in the night, we decided to check the problem more seriously and made an ultrasound of his heart, showing a severe heart failure
Thanks to the medical treatment his condition improved over the following weeks.
What Happened?
A 38-year-old man began feeling a tight, uncomfortable pressure in his chest. It wasn’t sharp pain—but it didn’t feel right. He had no history of heart problems and looked healthy, so several doctors told him it was likely stress or muscle strain and sent him home.
But the feeling didn’t go away. Two weeks later, he still had chest pressure and began feeling more tired and short of breath.
The Turning Point
Finally, an ultrasound of the heart (called an echocardiogram) was done. The results were alarming:
- His heart wasn’t pumping well at all.
- The heart muscle looked weak —this was heart failure.
- Blood tests showed very high levels of heart muscles enzymes.
- A coronary angiography (also called heart catheter) ruled out a heart attack or blocked arteries (no ischemia).
The doctors realized he had myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, likely caused by a recent airway infection.
- Several blood tests were done to find the virus or bacteria causing the problem, but all results came back normal.
How Was It Treated?
He was admitted to the intermediate care unit (ICU) for close monitoring. There, he received:
- Medications to support the heart and improve the healing of the heart muscle.
- Continuous monitoring was done to check how the heart was working and to catch any irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) early.
What Happened Next?
Over the next few days, his heart function gradually improved. The inflammation began to settle down, and the heart started pumping better. After careful monitoring and medication adjustments, he was moved out of the ICU and eventually discharged home with instructions to rest and continue heart medications.
Follow up
6 weeks later the patient reports being free of symptoms. An ultrasound of the heart shows a normal heart function.
Key Takeaways
- Heart problems can happen to young people too, even if it’s rare.
- Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference.