Myocarditis is a disease that induces inflammation of the heart muscle. It develops following an infection, inflammatory reactions and autoimmune reactions. The infection can be triggered by bacteria, virus, parasite or fungi. This disease can be mild or severe. Mild Myocarditis can settle on its own without treatment and any adverse effects on the heart. Its symptoms involve fever, joint pain, fatigue, muscular pain, chest pain, and shortness of breath, abnormal heartbeat, and many more. In severe cases, it may cause permanent destruction in the heart tissues leading to heart attack, heart failure, and even sudden unexpected death. Vaccines that can prevent bacterial or viral infections can be helpful to prevent Myocarditis.
Can Vaccines Cause Myocarditis?
Myocarditis is usually triggered by infection by virus or bacteria. It is noted that Myocarditis develops most commonly in two-thirds in the patient with diphtheria. Therefore, the diphtheria vaccine is known to prevent Myocarditis. Smallpox vaccine rarely causes inflammation in the middle layer of the heart muscle.
According to a research study, vaccination can induce Myocarditis in 3 % of healthy patients. It can happen due to circulating antigen of the vaccine. This antigen precipitates in the tissues of the heart. Then, autoantibodies accumulate in the heart muscle that can damage them. The autoimmune reactions are triggered by vaccination can result in the damage in the myocardial tissue of the heart.
Every vaccine is not known to induce inflammatory reactions in the myocardial tissue in healthy people. It happens only in rare cases. According to a study done by the Institute of Medicine (National Academy of Medicine), there is no evidence that set a link between tetanus or pertussis or influenza vaccine.(2) (1)
Myocarditis is often detected by chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, blood tests, MRI scan, and myocardial biopsy. It can be treated with medicines, blood transfusions, and blood transplantation.
Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of heart muscles that develop following an infection. It affects the function of the heart by disrupting the normal electrical conductivity in the heart. It is not known as a fatal disease as it resolves on its own. In a few cases, it may render permanent damage to the heart. In such cases, it may result in cardiac arrest, cardiac failure, and even sudden death.
Myocarditis is not a genetic disease that it cannot be passed in families. It occurs at any age. Males are more affected by this disease. It is the third leading cause of sudden in young adults.
Myocarditis is marked by inflammatory changes in the heart muscle. It affects the function of the heart and supply of oxygen to the rest of the body. It develops when infection or inflammatory reaction of the rest of the body reaches the heart. The infection in the heart muscle can be triggered by virus, bacteria, parasites or fungus. The autoimmune reaction causes inflammatory reactions in the heart muscle. Sometimes, medicines, illegal drugs, environmental chemicals or radiation therapy can trigger an inflammatory reaction in the heart muscles.
Mild Myocarditis can resolve on its own without treatment. In some cases, patients do not realize the symptoms of Myocarditis as they do not appear initially. Its symptoms resemble the symptoms of flu. Its symptoms include fever, muscular pain, joint pain, chest pain, and fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the lower extremities, light-headedness, headache, and abnormal heartbeats.
In severe cases, the inflammatory changes that have developed in the heart muscle may cause persistent destruction in the heart. It influences the electrical conductivity of the heart that may induce abnormal heartbeats or abnormal heart rhythms. In such cases, it may cause heart failure, heart attack, and sudden death.(3)
Conclusion
Myocarditis is not associated with vaccines. According to various research studies, Myocarditis is rarely induced by vaccines only in 3 % healthy persons who are given vaccines. The antigen released by vaccines can trigger inflammatory reactions in the heart muscles.
Also Read:
