Myocarditis Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Wai Hong Wilson Tang, MD; Chief Editor: Henry H Ooi, MBBCh   more...
 
Updated: Sep 16, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

A new entity of transient cardiac dysfunction has evolved, known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy or transient apical ballooning syndrome. It is characterized by severe hypokinesis of the anteroapical and inferoapical regions of the heart for unclear reason, and often with complete resolution. Many cases have been associated with a psychological or stressful event. Some have suggested a myocarditis nature of the condition, but the precise understanding of this syndrome remains unclear.

Conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis of myocarditis include the following:

  • Coronary artery vasospasm
  • Isolated coronary artery anomalies
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Myocardial ischemia
  • Cardiogenic pulmonary edema
  • High-altitude pulmonary edema
  • Neurogenic pulmonary edema
  • Interstitial (nonidiopathic) pulmonary fibrosis
  • Sudden cardiac death
  • Unstable angina
  • Ventricular tachycardia

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Wai Hong Wilson Tang, MD  Associate Professor of Medicine, Section of Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Wai Hong Wilson Tang, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America, and International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation

Disclosure: Abbott Laboratories Grant/research funds Research Supplies; Medtronic Inc Consulting fee Consulting; St Jude Medical Consulting fee Consulting

Coauthor(s)

Paul Blackburn, DO, FACOEP, FACEP  Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center

Paul Blackburn, DO, FACOEP, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, and Arizona Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Ethan A Booker, MD  Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Washington Hospital Center

Ethan A Booker, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

David S Howes, MD  Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Section Chief and Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director, University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences, The Pritzker School of Medicine

David S Howes, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Eric M Kardon, MD, FACEP  Attending Emergency Physician, Georgia Emergency Medicine Specialists; Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Athens Regional Medical Center

Eric M Kardon, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

George A Stouffer III, MD  Henry A Foscue Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Cardiology, Director of Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Chief of Clinical Cardiology, Division of Cardiology, University of North Carolina Medical Center

George A Stouffer III, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Steven J Compton, MD, FACC, FACP  Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Alaska Heart Institute, Providence and Alaska Regional Hospitals

Steven J Compton, MD, FACC, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alaska State Medical Association, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, and Heart Rhythm Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

David FM Brown, MD  Associate Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Vice Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital

David FM Brown, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Henry H Ooi, MBBCh  Director, Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Program, Nashville Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Assistant Professor of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Henry H Ooi, MBBCh is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America, and International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of Medscape Reference gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author James B Young, MD, to the development and writing of the source article.

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