Summary
Introduction. Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the heart muscle that can be caused by various infectious and non-infectious conditions. The most commonly known etiology is viral pathology, but myocarditis often remains idiopathic. Due to the variable clinical presentation, the diagnosis is often missed, and the true prevalence is unknown. Clinical symptoms are diverse and often mimic other heart diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction, making diagnosis challenging, and there is no specific treatment once myocarditis is identified.
Case report. We present the case of a 41-year-old man diagnosed with acute myocarditis. The patient presented to the hospital with discomfort and a burning sensation in the chest radiating to the left arm. Two weeks prior, the patient reported having an acute upper respiratory tract infection with fever. Differential diagnosis between acute myocardial infarction and acute myocarditis was made based on the disease and medical history, laboratory tests, coronary computed tomography angiography, echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, confirming the diagnosis of acute myocarditis.
Discussion and Conclusions. Myocarditis is a heterogeneous and challenging condition that can range from a subclinical course to noticeable fatigue, chest pain, developed heart failure, cardiogenic shock, arrhythmias, or even sudden death. In younger patients with no risk factors and complaints resembling typical acute coronary syndrome pain, it is important not to overlook the possibility of an acute myocarditis diagnosis, as this condition is often unrecognized.
