[Therapeutic principles in myocarditis].

Abstract

The incomplete aetiopathogenetic knowledge, the non-uniform clinical and diagnostic criteria as well as the course of the myocarditis which is prognostically not to be foreseen cause controversial therapeutic consequences. In the first place of the treatment is the causal treatment of the factors evoking or maintaining the inflammation. By means of immunosuppression an improvement of the findings is obtained in approximately 50% of the patients with myocarditis. Thus the immunosuppressive therapy cannot be recommended in general. It is sought for new active agents. The disturbed haemodynamics is, apart from medicamentous measures, positively influenced above all by convalescent treatment. Individually reconciled measures of the complex rehabilitation are accompanyingly necessary and render possible an improvement of the quality of life at long sight. In individual cases only the heart transplantation may have a favourable influence on the prognosis of the in most cases young patients.