Safety Pearls and Pitfalls
- Myocarditis has a significant morbidity and mortality and may present as sudden death in a previous healthy individual (Grade of Evidence 1b)
- The clinical presentation of myocarditis is varied and can result in diagnostic difficulty and delay (Grade of Evidence 2c)
- There are many causes of myocarditis and a thorough clinical history and examination are mandatory
- There is no single diagnostic test that will confirm a diagnosis of myocarditis in the ED
- Patients suspected of having acute myocarditis should not be discharged home from the ED even if they are physiologically stable
- Treatment of myocarditis is largely supportive and this may involve aggressive cardiorespiratory resuscitation in the ED
