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I Am An 18 Year Old Athlete. Someone Told Me
Question: I am an 18 year old athlete. Someone told me that it is possible to die from myocarditis without ever having any symptoms. Is this true? I am healthy and work out every day. My last illness was more than 18 months ago. How do I make sure I do not have myocarditis?
Brief Answer:
Risk is low and no reason to worry about it
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Being athlete does not make you more prone for myocarditis. Myocarditis is inflammation of heart, which is usually due to infection, and risk of such infection is low and similar to any other individuals. So risk of dying of myocarditis is similar to dying of any other cause. So there is no reason to worry about it. There are no specific precautions for it, however now a days a relatively common cause for myocarditis is covid 19 infection. So you should take all the precautions to prevent covid 19 infection. Also, majority of infected individuals do not develop covid 19 infection.
General precautions to prevent other infections like avoiding addictions, good healthy diet, green vegetables, avoiding street food or contaminated environments etc.
Hope this helps you and get back if you have any doubts.
Risk is low and no reason to worry about it
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Being athlete does not make you more prone for myocarditis. Myocarditis is inflammation of heart, which is usually due to infection, and risk of such infection is low and similar to any other individuals. So risk of dying of myocarditis is similar to dying of any other cause. So there is no reason to worry about it. There are no specific precautions for it, however now a days a relatively common cause for myocarditis is covid 19 infection. So you should take all the precautions to prevent covid 19 infection. Also, majority of infected individuals do not develop covid 19 infection.
General precautions to prevent other infections like avoiding addictions, good healthy diet, green vegetables, avoiding street food or contaminated environments etc.
Hope this helps you and get back if you have any doubts.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thank you for your answer. To clarify for me. Is it possible to have myocarditis for a longer period of time and not have any symptoms and not notice any change in energy and than suddenly die because of it?
Brief Answer:
Usually not
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.
Myocarditis usually is part of generalised body infection. So one usually gets systemic symptoms of infection like fever, body aches, weakness and may be associated with symptoms of cardiac damage like low BP, before having sudden cardiac death.
However rarely it's possible to have sudden cardiac death without any other symptoms, but its extremely rare.
So dying of myocarditis is similar to dying of other causes like accidents, other infections or any other cause. There are no high risk factors in you to worry about it.
All the best
Usually not
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.
Myocarditis usually is part of generalised body infection. So one usually gets systemic symptoms of infection like fever, body aches, weakness and may be associated with symptoms of cardiac damage like low BP, before having sudden cardiac death.
However rarely it's possible to have sudden cardiac death without any other symptoms, but its extremely rare.
So dying of myocarditis is similar to dying of other causes like accidents, other infections or any other cause. There are no high risk factors in you to worry about it.
All the best
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thank you for the explanation. If I understand correctly it is possible for a person to actually have life-threatening myocarditis while feeling perfectly healthy with 0 symptoms. Why is this the case?
Thank you
Thank you
Brief Answer:
Yes, its possible but very rare scenario
Detailed Answer:
Welcome
As I mentioned earlier, myocarditis is usually caused by infection usually viral. So rarely one develops an infection but does not develop other symptoms like fever, sore throat, generalised weakness, body pains etc and directly infect the heart leading to myocarditis and arrhythmia. But this is a rare scenario and not worth worrying about.
So its rarely possible.
Yes, its possible but very rare scenario
Detailed Answer:
Welcome
As I mentioned earlier, myocarditis is usually caused by infection usually viral. So rarely one develops an infection but does not develop other symptoms like fever, sore throat, generalised weakness, body pains etc and directly infect the heart leading to myocarditis and arrhythmia. But this is a rare scenario and not worth worrying about.
So its rarely possible.
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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