Influenza A (influenza A) is an acute respiratory infection caused by the influenza A virus. The main symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, malaise, muscle or joint pain, headache, etc. Some patients may also experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
These symptoms are the response of the body's immune system to fight off the virus after influenza A virus infection. When the virus invades the body, it multiplies in the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, causing inflammation of the respiratory tract and causing the above symptoms.
For some patients, symptoms of influenza A may be more than just respiratory manifestations. They may experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, among others, which further aggravates their discomfort. The appearance of these symptoms is due to the invasion of influenza A virus into multiple systems of the body, leading to the occurrence of a systemic inflammatory response.
Thankfully, however, with prompt antiviral treatment and symptomatic treatment, most patients infected with influenza A virus are cured. Health care workers respond aggressively, giving patients appropriate medication and care to help them alleviate symptoms and manage their condition. At the same time, medical institutions have also strengthened prevention and control measures, improved the public's awareness of influenza A and prevention awareness, and effectively controlled the spread of the epidemic.
1. The horror of explosive myocarditis
Fulminant myocarditis is a very serious heart disease with a sudden onset and rapid deterioration, often threatening to the patient's life. This disease is usually caused by an overactivation of the immune response triggered by a viral infection, resulting in massive necrosis of heart muscle cells, which in turn leads to severe impairment of heart function.
Because the onset of fulminant myocarditis is very sudden, there are often no obvious aura symptoms. Patients may not have any history of heart disease before the onset of the disease, but after infection with the virus, heart muscle cells die rapidly within a short period of time, resulting in severe impairment of heart function. Because the disease progresses so rapidly, patients often need urgent treatment or risk life-threatening.
Fulminant myocarditis tends to worsen very quickly, often peaking within hours or days. Patients may experience severe arrhythmias, heart failure, and even cardiac arrest and sudden death. This rapidly deteriorating condition poses a great challenge to medical treatment, requiring doctors to take emergency measures such as ventilators, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, etc. to save the patient's life.
In addition, fulminant myocarditis can also lead to other serious complications such as lung infections, kidney disease, etc. These complications not only aggravate the condition but may further affect the patient's survival rate.
Fulminant myocarditis is usually caused by an overactivation of the immune response triggered by a viral infection. When the human body is infected with a virus, the immune system will quickly activate the defense mechanism, releasing various immune cells and inflammatory factors to destroy the virus. However, if this immune response is overactivated, it can cause damage to heart muscle cells, leading to myocardial necrosis.
This excessive immune response can trigger systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). SIRS is a severe systemic inflammatory response that causes damage to multiple organs in the body. In the case of fulminant myocarditis, SIRS can further aggravate myocardial damage, leading to severe impairment of heart function.
In addition, the virus itself may also cause direct damage to heart muscle cells. For example, certain viruses invade and replicate in heart muscle cells, causing heart muscle cells to die.
In 2020, a 28-year-old young man was unfortunately infected with the influenza A virus. Soon after contracting the virus, he began experiencing symptoms such as high fever, heart palpitations, and chest tightness. Because the symptoms were similar to common flu symptoms, he didn't pay much attention to them at first. However, over time, his condition deteriorated rapidly and his symptoms continued to worsen.
After resting at home for a few days, the man found that his condition was not improving, but was getting worse. He began to experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fatigue, and even chest pain and muffled heart sounds. At this point, he realized that his condition could be very serious and immediately went to the hospital.
After undergoing tests at the hospital, doctors diagnosed the man with fulminant myocarditis. Due to the rapid deterioration of his condition, the man soon developed severe arrhythmias and heart failure. Despite the doctors' efforts, the man eventually died of cardiac arrest.
3. Typical symptoms of fulminant myocarditis
Typical symptoms of fulminant myocarditis include high fever, palpitations, chest tightness, dyspnea, and fatigue. In addition, patients may present with chest pain, muffled heart sounds, and gallop rhythm. Severe arrhythmias can lead to syncope and even sudden death.
The man's symptoms were due to a large number of necrosis of heart muscle cells, which caused severe impairment of heart function. Damage to the heart muscle causes the heart to contractile and reduce cardiac output, which can lead to these symptoms.
4. How to prevent fulminant myocarditis?
1. Get vaccinated
Influenza vaccination can reduce the risk of contracting influenza A virus, which can reduce the occurrence of fulminant myocarditis.
2. Enhance immunity
Maintaining a good routine and eating Xi, exercising properly, strengthening immunity, and helping to fight off viral infections.
3. Seek medical attention in a timely manner
As soon as flu symptoms appear, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible so that potential complications such as fulminant myocarditis can be detected and treated early.
4. Avoid overexertion
Overexertion may increase the burden on the heart and induce diseases such as myocarditis. Therefore, maintaining proper rest and relaxation is very important to prevent fulminant myocarditis.
summary
Influenza A is a common respiratory infection, and its symptoms include fever, cough, etc. However, influenza A can sometimes lead to serious complications such as fulminant myocarditis, a heart condition that has a rapid onset and worsens rapidly and can lead to sudden death.
In order to prevent the occurrence of fulminant myocarditis, we should actively get vaccinated, boost immunity, seek medical attention in a timely manner, and avoid overexertion. By doing so, we can reduce the risk of influenza A virus infection and protect heart health.