Haemodynamic Findings in Biopsy Proven Acute Myocarditis

Myocarditis is a well-recognized clinical entity which is described as occurring in 5%–15% of patients after the common infectious illnesses. The clinician has until recently relied upon the clinical history, electrocardiographic changes, changes in heart size on the chest X-ray and a complementary rise in viral antibody titres to make the diagnosis (Woodruff 1980). Endomyocardial biopsy, however, has enabled the confirmation of the suspected clinical diagnosis by histopathological examination of the myocardium during life (Olsen 1974). Percutaneous endomyocardial biopsy using the long-sheath technique has facilitated the study of the natural history of the condition and its response to treatment (Richardson 1980).