Heart Disease Community

Hi:

"I appear to have a permanent heart strain"

What exactly do you mean by this? Having chest (heart area) pain or discomfort?

"Was hospitalized for 3 days"

What diagnostic cardiac-related tests have you had thus far?

In general, it's well known that viruses may/can affect the heart. As it has been reported, researchers and scientists know that some viruses have what is known as "tissue affinity", that is, it homes in on/seeks out one or two types of body tissue. Coxsackie B goes for the heart muscle (myocardium) in which the virus locks onto receptor sites thereof.

Viruses/enteroviruses, which includes Coxsackie A and B may/can cause inflammation in the brain as well as the sensitive lining of the lungs and heart (includes valves/chambers).

A virus can cause conditions such as myocarditis (inflammation of the muscle), which can lead to viral cardiomyopathy, heart muscle disease, which often leads to heart failure/congestive heart failure.

In the United States, infection with Coxsackie B virus is the most common cause of viral cardiomyopathy and viral pericarditis, which can be a result of an infection by several types of other viruses, including echoviruses, adenoviruses, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the viruses that cause mumps or hepatitis.

Dilated cardiomyopathy may/can be caused by an acute inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) due to a viral infection, i.e., viral cardiomyopathy.

Best of luck down the road of life.

Take care,

CardioStar*

WebMD member (since 8/99)



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Be well-informed

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Heart Disease TYPES

Men and Women

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http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-disease-men

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http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-symptoms

Mayo Clinic

Heart Disease

Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a range of diseases that affects your heart and sometimes the blood vessels......

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/DS01120

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The Heart: (Human Anatomy) Pictures, Definition, Location in the Body and Heart Problems

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HeartSite

Heart info, cardiac tests (commonly performed, mainstream types) info, actual diagnostic images

http://www.heartsite.com

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Quote!

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I'm not exactly sure what you mean by heart strain. If you are having chest pains, I'd suggest you be seen by a medical professional to make sure everything's okay.

Dear sir thank you for your response......in answer to your question....just feel a little stain in the chest...this is the permanent strain I refer to....over the last few days...I now appear to be picking up headaches....this is very unnatural for me.....should I be concerned with these headaches combined with the heart strain ....note....whilst hospitalized....no cardiac tests were done....just don't want to wake up dead one of these days........regards anand

You're welcome.


"This is the permanent strain I refer to."

Like say a muscle strain?

"I now appear to be picking up headaches....this is very unnatural for me....."

"Should I be concerned"

Yes of course.

Especially since, as previously noted, viruses/enteroviruses, which includes Coxsackie A and B may/can cause inflammation in the brain.

"Whilst hospitalized....no cardiac tests were done...."

As a follow-up measure, perhaps you should ask your doctor about having a non-invasive echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound) performed. Echocardiography is a very versatile imaging modality that can quickly and easily confirm or rule out various problems/abnormalities in the heart valves and chambers, and show how well the heart is pumping.

Take good care,

CardioStar*



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It's your future......be there.

.

WebMD/WebMD forums DOES NOT provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Superb, interesting analysis, cardiostar. Thank you!

Since I was only vaguely familiar with Coxsackie B virus I felt compelled to learn more (per wikipedia)

• Symptoms of infection with viruses in the Coxsackie B grouping include fever , headache , sore throat , gastrointestinal distress, as well as chest and muscle pain .
• Sufferers of chest pain should see a doctor immediately - in some cases, viruses in the Coxsackie B family progress to myocarditis or pericarditis, which can result in permanent heart damage or death.
• They are the most common cause of unexpected sudden death , and may account for up to 50% of such cases. The incubation period for the Coxsackie B viruses is, like most of the Enteroviridae, highly variable, ranging from 2 to 35 days, and illness may last for up to two weeks, but may resolve as quickly as two days. Infection usually occurs between the months of June and October in temperate Northern Hemisphere regions.
• Enterovirus infection is diagnosed mainly via serological tests such as ELISA and from cell culture. Because the same level and type of care is given regardless of type of Coxsackie B infection, it is mostly unnecessary for treatment purposes to diagnose which virus is causing the symptoms in question, though it may be epidemiologically useful.

Apadayachee, since you were hospitalized, did they or did they not confirm, seriologically, the presence of coxsackie virus? Thanks. I hope you find remedy to your condition, soon. I hope you can follow up post when you can to let this board know of your findings and treatment outcomes. Good luck.

You're welcome.

Good added info from Wiki.

CardioStar*



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Hi,
I have scanned results of my blood tests which the hospital advised confirmed presence of the virus...cannot seem to attach to this site but if u have an email address, I will mail to you.The heart strain has now somewhat disappeared though I have not been straining myself as per doctors orders...have not done anything phsyically exhausting...I must admit the only concern that remains is the headaches which seem to come and go...and I do have trouble falling asleep since I picked up the virus...tend to stay awake through the night...on the whole, I feel a million bucks better than 10 days ago....cheers