Myocarditis

Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter - Myocarditis Factor

Myocarditis means inflammation of the muscular walls of the heart.

Viral infection is by far the most common cause of myocarditis and the most common viral infection is Coxsackie B virus.  Other causes are radiation, chemicals, hypersensitivity to drugs, or physical agents.  Bacterial causes are usually complications of infective endocarditis.  Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi) and Lyme’s disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) are also causes.  Giant cell myocarditis is associated with thymoma, systemic lupus erythematosus or thyrotoxicosis.

Signs and symptoms

Myocarditis can be asymptomatic with only temporary abnormal ECG readings.  Where damage to the heart muscle occurs this can lead to signs of heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia.

Establishing onset

In mild cases the disease is self-limiting and goes away on its own.  In more severe cases the complications of heart failure or arrhythmia require treatment.  If a veteran or member had myocarditis he or she may have needed significant medical attention at that time.  Such medical treatment would normally be recorded in doctors' notes and/or hospital records.  However, if these records have been destroyed or can no longer be obtained and there is a reliable history of myocarditis at a particular time, this generally will be accepted, unless there is contradictory evidence.  Obtain medical advice if it is unclear whether the claimed symptoms and treatment at that time can be attributed to myocarditis rather than to some other condition

14890 there is some evidence that myocarditis may be a factor in the development of the condition under consideration.

14895 the veteran has had myocarditis at some time.

14896  the veteran has established the causal connection between myocarditis and VEA service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.

14898   the veteran has established the causal connection between myocarditis and eligible service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.

or

14897   the veteran has established the causal connection between myocarditis and operational service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.

Clinical onset and operational service [14897]

14899 the veteran was suffering from myocarditis within the 30 days immediately before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

14901  the myocarditis is causally related to operational service.

Clinical onset and eligible service [14898]

14900 the veteran was suffering from myocarditis at the time of the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

14903  the myocarditis is causally related to eligible service.