myocarditis /mī′ōkärdī″tis/ [Gk, mys + kardia + itis, inflammation] , inflammation of the myocardium. It may be caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infection; serum sickness; rheumatic fever; or a chemical agent; or it may be a complication of a collagen disease. Myocarditis most frequently occurs in an acute viral form and is self-limited, but it may lead to acute heart failure. Management includes treatment of the cause, analgesia, oxygen, antiinflammatory agents, constant monitoring, and rest to prevent shock or heart failure. See also acute primary myocarditis, acute secondary myocarditis, acute septic myocarditis.
