Myocarditis or
inflammatory cardiomyopathy is
inflammation of
heart muscle. The consequences of myocarditis vary widely. It can cause a mild disease without any symptoms that resolves itself, or it may cause chest pain,
heart failure, or sudden death. An acute
myocardial infarction-like syndrome with normal coronary arteries has a good prognosis. Heart failure, even with a dilated
left ventricle, may have a good prognosis.
Ventricular arrhythmias and high-degree
heart block have a poor prognosis. Loss of right ventricular function is a strong predictor of death.