Lyme carditis
Lyme carditis occurs when Lyme disease bacteria enter the tissues of the heart. This can interfere with the normal movement of electrical signals from the hearts upper to lower chambers, a process that coordinates the beating of the heart. The result is something physicians call “heart block,” which can vary in degree and change rapidly. Lyme carditis occurs in approximately one out of every hundred Lyme disease cases reported to CDC. Antibiotics, Oral antibiotics are the standard treatment for early-stage Lyme disease. These usually include doxycycline for adults and children older than 8, or amoxicillin or cefuroxime for adults, younger children, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. In Lyme carditis, Borrelia burgdorferi (the spirochete responsible for Lyme disease) directly affects the heart. Damage to the heart tissue occurs from the direct invasion by the bacteria, as well as from the body's exaggerated immune response to the infection.
The diagnostic triad of Lyme carditis comprises medical history (erythema migrans, tick bite), AV block in ECG and a positive Borrelia serology. Where Lyme carditis is clinically suspected, continuous ECG monitoring is required in patients who have experienced a syncope or present with a PQ interval >300 ms. If diagnosed in the early stages, Lyme disease can be cured with antibiotics. Without treatment, complications involving the joints, heart, and nervous system can occur. But these symptoms are still treatable and curable. We concluded that echocardiographic findings is not specific for Lyme disease, but echocardiography is an excellent tool for assessing the presence and degree of cardiac dysfunction and therefore provides essential information for the management of these patients. Lyme carditis can either be treated with oral or intravenous (IV) antibiotics, depending on severity (see tables below). Some patients might need a temporary pacemaker. Patients generally recover within 1-6 weeks. As with many infectious diseases, there is no test that can “prove” cure. Tests for Lyme disease detect antibodies produced by the human immune system to fight off the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) that cause Lyme disease. These antibodies can persist long after the infection is gone. Varying degrees of permanent joint or nervous system damage may develop in individuals with late-stage Lyme disease. Most individuals with Lyme disease respond well to antibiotics and have full recovery. In a small percentage of individuals, symptoms may continue or recur, requiring additional antibiotic treatment.
Lyme carditis can cause light-headedness, fainting, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, or chest pain. Patients with Lyme carditis usually have other symptoms such as fever and body aches, and they may have more specific symptoms of Lyme disease, such as the erythema migrans rash. Lyme carditis can either be treated with oral or intravenous (IV) antibiotics, depending on severity (see tables below). Some patients might need a temporary pacemaker. Patients generally recover within 1-6 weeks.
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