Exercise After Acute Myocarditis: When and How to Return to Sports

Card Electrophysiol Clin. 2024 Mar;16(1):107-115. doi: 10.1016/j.ccep.2023.09.011.

Abstract

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium secondary to infectious and noninfectious insults. The most feared consequence of myocarditis is sudden cardiac death owing to electrical instability and arrhythmia. Typical presenting symptoms include chest pain, dyspnea, palpitations and/or heart failure. Diagnosis is usually made with history, electrocardiogram, biomarkers, echocardiogram, and cardiac MRI (CMR). Application of the Lake Louise criteria to CMR results can help identify cases of myocarditis. Treatment is usually supportive with medical therapy, and patients are recommended to abstain from exercise for 3 to 6 months. Exercise restrictions may be lifted after normalization on follow-up testing.

Keywords: Arrhythmia; Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; Exercise; Mitochondria; Myocarditis; Return to play; Sex differences; Virus.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Myocarditis* / diagnosis
  • Myocarditis* / therapy
  • Myocardium
  • Return to Sport

Substances

  • Biomarkers