Recently, a girl in Henan province experienced symptoms such as coughing, vomiting, and drowsiness. Her family mistakenly diagnosed her with a common cold, but it turned out to be fulminant myocarditis, which developed rapidly. Unfortunately, she passed away during the transfer for treatment. Acute myocarditis is a fatal disease that may be triggered by a cold, and its initial symptoms are very similar to those of a cold. How to identify and respond to fulminant myocarditis? The reporter interviewed Cheng Xiang, chief physician of the Department of Cardiology at Tongji Medical College Affiliated Union Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Cheng Xiang introduced that fulminant myocarditis is a serious acute diffuse inflammatory myocardial disease characterized by rapid onset, fast progression, and high mortality rate. Patients may experience hypotension, cardiogenic shock, severe arrhythmia, and even sudden death in a short period of time, and may also have secondary or accompanying respiratory failure and liver and kidney failure. If not detected and treated in a timely manner, the risk of death can reach over 50%. Especially children and adolescents, due to their immature immune system, are more likely to fall into dangerous situations. Why does a cold trigger fulminant myocarditis? The causes of fulminant myocarditis include infectious and non infectious factors, among which viral infection is the most common cause. In the season of high incidence of colds, the virus content is high, and there will be more patients with myocarditis than usual. Due to immature immune system development, preschool children have a significantly increased risk of developing myocarditis when diseases such as colds and flu worsen or recur. In addition to viruses, bacterial and parasitic infections, autoimmune diseases, and drug damage are relatively rare causes, but they may also induce fulminant myocarditis. How to identify early signals of fulminant myocarditis? In the early stages, the symptoms of fulminant myocarditis are very similar to those of a cold, and may include fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, diarrhea, and other symptoms. However, if the above symptoms progress rapidly and severely, or if there are some special symptoms such as obvious shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest pain, palpitations, extreme fatigue, or even symptoms such as pale face and fainting, the virus is likely to have invaded the heart. Cheng Xiang reminds that when the body sends out the following signals, it must be taken seriously, vigilant, and screened for fulminant myocarditis: first, chest pain, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Within a few days or 1 to 3 weeks after experiencing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue, patients may repeatedly experience compression, dull or stabbing pain, obvious shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing behind the sternum or on the left side of the chest. The second is a decrease in blood pressure and shock. Patients with fulminant myocarditis often experience low blood pressure due to severe cardiac dysfunction and systemic toxic reactions, which can lead to dizziness, fatigue, and darkening of the eyes. In severe cases, the patient may not even be able to measure blood pressure, resulting in wet and cold limbs and cardiogenic shock. The third is palpitations and fainting. Explosive myocarditis usually leads to a significant increase in heart rate, and even ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, which can be life-threatening. Some patients may experience irregular heartbeats (such as frequent premature beats) or significantly slowed heartbeats (such as severe atrioventricular block), leading to palpitations, fainting, and even sudden death. The fourth is extreme fatigue. Patients with fulminant myocarditis often experience symptoms such as extreme fatigue, mental lethargy, pale complexion, and loss of appetite that are difficult to explain by the common cold. What should I do if I suffer from fulminant myocarditis? Cheng Xiang reminds us to follow the principle of early identification and comprehensive treatment. Once the above symptoms occur after catching a cold, it is necessary to seek timely medical attention from a cardiovascular specialist or emergency department. In addition, the key to prevention lies in improving immunity, enhancing physical fitness, maintaining good lifestyle habits, and preventing viral infections. (New Society)