Cause 5. Autoimmune Conditions: The Body’s Civil War
Autoimmune diseases, characterized by an overactive immune system attacking its own body, also find their place among the causes of myocarditis. Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus can instigate inflammation of the heart muscle, leading to myocarditis.
When the immune system perceives its own cells as foreign invaders, it initiates an immune response. This response, meant to protect the body, can sometimes cause collateral damage. In the context of the heart, this misguided attack can result in inflammation and damage to the heart muscle – a condition recognized as myocarditis.
Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are chronic autoimmune diseases that affect multiple organ systems. Interestingly, they don’t directly affect the heart muscle. Instead, the inflammation they cause elsewhere in the body can stir up immune cells. These immune cells can migrate to the heart and cause inflammation and damage, manifesting as myocarditis.
Given the complex nature of autoimmune diseases and their capacity to induce myocarditis, managing these conditions often necessitates a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach. The goal is to reduce the risk of myocarditis and other complications by controlling the overarching autoimmune condition. This often involves a team of healthcare professionals, including a rheumatologist, cardiologist, and sometimes an immunologist. (5)
