National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Autoimmune myocarditis


Autoimmune myocarditis is an autoimmune disease that affects the heart. The condition is characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). Some people with autoimmune myocarditis have no noticeable symptoms of the condition. When present, signs and symptoms may include chest pain, abnormal heartbeat, shortness of breath, fatigue, signs of infection (i.e. fever, headache, sore throat, diarrhea), and leg swelling. The exact underlying cause of the condition is currently unknown; however, autoimmune conditions, in general, occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. Treatment is based on the signs and symptoms present in each person. In some cases, medications that suppress the immune system may be recommended.[1][2]
Last updated: 2/23/2016

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Patient Registry

  • The Autoimmune Registry supports research for Autoimmune myocarditis by collecting information about patients with this and other autoimmune diseases. You can join the registry to share your information with researchers and receive updates about participating in new research studies. Learn more about registries.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Organizations Providing General Support

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Mayo Clinic has an information page on Autoimmune myocarditis.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Autoimmune myocarditis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Wai Hong Wilson Tang, MD. Myocarditis. Medscape Reference. September 2014; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/156330-overview.
  2. Caforio AL, Marcolongo R, Jahns R, Fu M, Felix SB, Iliceto S. Immune-mediated and autoimmune myocarditis: clinical presentation, diagnosis and management. Heart Fail Rev. November 2013; 18(6):715-732.