Patient's question:
What situations can lead to myocarditis during a cold? I currently have a cold with nasal congestion and swollen tonsils, and my temperature is 37.2. If the cold persists, with symptoms like a runny nose and nasal congestion, will I develop myocarditis?Doctor's answer:
Myocarditis caused by a cold should be treated with quiet bed rest and proper nutrition during the acute phase. Symptoms typically resolve within a few weeks. Medications that nourish the heart muscle and enhance myocardial metabolism, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), coenzyme A, large doses of vitamin C, cytochrome C, fructose, and inosine, are administered intravenously. For patients with heart failure, diuretics and vasodilators, as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, are given. Since the purulent inflammation of the heart muscle itself can easily lead to digitalis toxicity, the dosage of digitalis should be kept low. This condition is particularly common in cases where the cold is caused by hemolytic streptococcus, which tends to affect the heart and lead to myocarditis.