The key difference between endocarditis and myocarditis is that endocarditis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the endocardium, while myocarditis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the myocardium.
The human heart has three layers: pericardium, myocardium, and endocardium. The pericardium is the outermost layer of the heart which protects the heart from friction and enlargement. The myocardium is the middle layer that enables the heart to pump blood and fill the blood again. The endocardium is the innermost layer of the heart that keeps the blood flowing through the heart separate from the myocardium or cardiac muscles. Often, these layers are infected by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Endocarditis and myocarditis are two medical conditions that occur due to inflammation of the heart layers.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Endocarditis
3. What is Myocarditis
4. Similarities – Endocarditis and Myocarditis
5. Endocarditis vs Myocarditis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Endocarditis vs Myocarditis
What is Endocarditis?
Endocarditis is a life-threatening condition that causes inflammation of the inner layer of the heart’s chambers and valves. This layer is known as the endocardium. Endocarditis is normally caused by an infection of bacteria, fungi, or any other germs that get into the bloodstream and attach to the damaged areas in the heart. Artificial heart valves, damaged heart valves, and other heart defects are more likely to cause endocarditis.
The common symptoms of endocarditis include aching joints and muscles, chest pain, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, night sweats, shortness of breath, swelling in feet, legs, or belly, unexplained weight loss, blood in the urine, tenderness under the left rib cage, painless red, purple or brown flat spots on the soles of the feet, painless red or purple bumps of darkened skin on the tips of the fingers or toes, tiny purple, red or brown round spots on the skin, in the whites of the eyes or inside the mouth.
Figure 01: Endocarditis
Moreover, endocarditis can be diagnosed through blood culture, complete blood count, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, CT scan, or MRI. Furthermore, the treatment options for endocarditis may include high doses of IV antibiotics, antifungal medications (antifungal pill), and heart valve surgery like heart valve repair and replacement.
What is Myocarditis?
Myocarditis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the myocardium of the heart. Infection with a virus is one cause of myocarditis. Sometimes, a drug reaction, radiation, or general inflammatory conditions (lupus, Wegener’s granulomatosis, giant cell arteritis, and Takayasu’s arteritis) can cause myocarditis. The common symptoms of myocarditis may include chest pain, fatigue, swelling of the legs, ankles, and feet, rapid or irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath at rest or during activity, lightheadedness, flu-like symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pain, fever, and sore throat.
Figure 02: Myocarditis
The tests that can be performed to diagnose myocarditis may include blood tests, electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), chest X-ray, heart MRI, echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, and heart muscle biopsy. Furthermore, myocarditis can be treated through corticosteroids, heart medications (diuretics, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), medication to treat chronic conditions, IV medications, ventricular assist device (VAD), intra aortic balloon pump, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and heart transplants.
What are the Similarities Between Endocarditis and Myocarditis?
- Endocarditis and myocarditis are two medical conditions that occur due to the inflammation of the heart layers.
- Both conditions may have infectious causes.
- They are life-threatening conditions.
- Both conditions can be diagnosed through blood tests and imaging testing.
- They are treated through medications and specific surgeries.
What is the Difference Between Endocarditis and Myocarditis?
Endocarditis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the endocardium of the heart, while myocarditis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the myocardium of the heart. Thus, this is the key difference between endocarditis and myocarditis. Furthermore, endocarditis is normally caused by an infection of bacteria, fungi, or any other germs, while myocarditis is caused by infection with a virus, bacteria, fungi, or parasite, a drug reaction, radiation, or general inflammatory conditions (lupus, Wegener’s granulomatosis, giant cell arteritis, and Takayasu’s arteritis).
The below infographic presents the differences between endocarditis and myocarditis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Endocarditis vs Myocarditis
Heart layers are three types; they are pericardium, myocardium, and endocardium. Endocarditis and myocarditis are two different medical conditions that occur due to the inflammation of the heart layers. Endocarditis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the endocardium of the heart while myocarditis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the myocardium of the heart. So, this summarizes the difference between endocarditis and myocarditis.
Reference:
1. “Endocarditis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. Dunkin, Mary Anne. “Myocarditis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments.” WebMD.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Endocarditis” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Histopathology of myocarditis with myocyte necrosis” By Mikael Häggström. – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia