Treatments for Severe Cases
In more serious cases of myocarditis, some aggressive treatment options are needed:
– Ventricular assist devices: These mechanical pumps aid the heart in pumping blood from the ventricles or lower chambers to other parts of the body. This treatment is suggested for those patients with heart failure or heart weakness. It can also be helpful when you are waiting for a heart transplant or allow your heart to recover.
– Intra-aortic balloon pump: In this procedure, a thin tube called a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the leg for taking X-ray images. After that, your doctor will put a balloon in the main artery. It can inflate and deflate to reduce the heart’s workload and improve blood flow.
– Intravenous medications: These drugs can improve the pumping function of the heart.
– Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or ECMO: In severe cases, this machine can provide oxygen to your body and remove carbon dioxide. In other words, it can work for the heart. [7]
