Chapter 10 - Neurologic complications of myocarditis

Abstract

Myocarditis, a nonischemic acquired cardiomyopathy, is an uncommon condition with multiple presentation patterns which may be initially difficult to recognize and may simulate other conditions such as acute myocardial infarction, pericarditis, septicemia, etc. There are four distinct clinical presentation patterns that include: (1) low-grade nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue; (2) symptoms that resemble an acute myocardial infarction, especially in younger individuals; (3) a heart failure presentation which may be acute, subacute, or chronic and may be associated with cardiac conduction system defects and arrhythmias; and (4) an arrhythmia presentation that may produce sudden cardiac death, especially in young athletes with minimal or no prodromal symptoms. This chapter will provide a brief overview of various myocarditis etiologies and diagnostic modalities. The ultimate focus will be directed toward neurologic manifestations of myocarditis and its subtypes, complications of specific therapies including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for refractory heart failure, and review the current literature regarding the appropriate use of therapeutic anticoagulation in myocarditis and heart failure for stroke prevention. Covid-19 infection has been discovered to cause myocarditis. The emerging science will be discussed. Nuances of brain death (BD) determination in patients receiving venoarterial ECMO for heart failure refractory to standard medical therapies will be discussed.