An Echocardiographic Presentation of Severe Dilated Cardiomyopathy Due to Acute Viral Myocarditis From Coxsackie B Enterovirus

Abstract

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease of the myocardium characterized by changes in cardiac chamber dimension and initial deterioration in systolic function accompanied by eventual diastolic function impairment with possible progression to cardiac failure. Early identification of ventricular dysfunction and etiology is imperative for the subsequent effective treatment of the cardiomyopathy process. One common cause of DCM is an infection from a viral insult that results in inflammation and consequent damage to the myocardium. Viral myocarditis may present as an acute or chronic illness. The clinical presentation of myocarditis demonstrates nonspecific symptomology that is variable between individuals. Accurate diagnosis of viral myocarditis relies upon various diagnostic testing methods to ascertain the origin of the infectious agent and resultant alterations in cardiovascular function. One such diagnostic testing method used in the detection of the presence and severity of DCM associated with viral myocarditis is echocardiography. The following case presentation demonstrates a dilated cardiomyopathy due to an acute myocarditis from Coxsackie B enterovirus evaluated with echocardiography.