Dr. Daniel Cameron: Inside Lyme Podcast
16-year-old male with Lyme disease presenting with palpitations and chest pain
Welcome to another edition of Inside Lyme Podcast with Dr. Daniel Cameron. I will be discussing a case featuring a 16-year-old boy who exhibited cardiac symptoms, including palpitations and chest pain, due to Lyme disease. The boy was later diagnosed with Lyme carditis.
A 16-year-old male with Lyme disease presenting with palpitations and chest pain – an Inside Lyme case study.
In the Journal of BMC Infectious Diseases, Myers and colleagues describe a 16-year-old male with Lyme disease, who presented with palpitations and chest pain. [1] The erythema migrans rash was discovered during a physical examination.
The adolescent was diagnosed with Lyme carditis based on a first degree heart block by EKG. Laboratory findings confirmed the presence of Lyme disease.
Unfortunately, his heart block progressed. “The hospital course was further remarkable for transition to 2nd degree heart block and transient episodes of complete heart block,” wrote Myers and colleagues.
In such cases, the authors recommend admission. “Any patient with suspected Lyme carditis manifesting cardiac symptoms such as syncope, chest pain, or EKG changes should be admitted for parenteral antibiotic therapy and cardiac monitoring.”
Additionally, the authors remind readers that there are other manifestations of Lyme disease. “Other manifestations of Lyme carditis may include myopericarditis, left ventricular dysfunction, and cardiomegaly.”
Fortunately, the young man with Lyme disease and cardiac symptoms did well after treatment with IV ceftriaxone followed by oral doxycycline. He was discharged after 10 days. He completed 28 days of doxycycline.
Author’s Take Away: “First, this case illustrates that signs and symptoms of cardiac disease (palpitations, chest pain) may be the chief complaint of patients with [Lyme disease] in pediatric practice.”
Inside Lyme Podcast Series
This Inside Lyme case series will be discussed on my Facebook and made available on podcast and YouTube. As always, it is your likes, comments, and shares that help spread the word about this series and our work. If you can, please leave a review on iTunes or wherever else you get your podcasts.
References:
- Myers F, Mishra PE, Cortez D, Schleiss MR. Chest palpitations in a teenager as an unusual presentation of Lyme disease: case report. BMC Infect Dis. 2020;20(1):730.
Yvonne
03/16/2021 (10:19 am)
Hello Dr Cameron I’m a Lyme patient now living in Ghana and very little is known of this disease here the Doctors here only know of it but are completely out of the loop when it comes to treatments etc so o have to maintain my doctor in the US. Was diagnosed with neurological Lyme in 2014 after years of suffering … ii’m doing relatively well now considering experiencing extreme electrosensitivy food and chemical allergies … I’m left with indigestion and food sensitivities which has left me with a limited diet . The covid astra Zeneca is currently being given out here in Gh and I want to take it but I’m also concerned about how my body dt may react considering my allergies etc but I’ll have to weigh the risk here of getting covid or taking the vaccine . I’ve recently almost 2 weeks started taking my herbal meds again as per know Lyme doc due to recurring indigestion and stomach upsets thinks I m
Dr. Daniel Cameron
03/16/2021 (4:58 pm)
You are asking the same questions we discuss in the USA. The decision is not easy for Lyme disease patients who have faced immune issues related to Lyme disease.
Nancy Mann
12/10/2020 (7:41 am)
When I suffered this lyme carditis, there were skeptical doctors and little answers. I was not believed until I insisted on an echocardiogram which showed fluid around my heart I have never heard of someone else with this condition can I know more?
Dr. Daniel Cameron
12/10/2020 (4:38 pm)
I have writing on the topic in my blogs, e.g. https://danielcameronmd.com/growing-list-cardiac-problems-lyme-disease/
Andrea Jackson
12/06/2020 (5:45 pm)
Is there a post on how we can share this podcast in our Lyme groups? I’m not “getting it” so I think that will be a somewhat common result. Is there an announcement-what is it, Where do we go, how to listen, when?
Dr. Daniel Cameron
12/07/2020 (12:59 am)
Thank you for the question. I am blessed to have many helpful comments and questions posted on FaceBook when I publish a blog. I am planning on recording a podcast that will address some of their questions and comments. I am not able to record the podcast live. Instead, I will be posting the podcast on my blog in 2 or 3 days.