Inflammatory Cardiac Disease in a Young Adult With Syncope Available to Purchase

Scenario: A 32-year-old man arrived in the emergency department about 30 minutes after losing consciousness while watching television. He had experienced “racing heart,” dizziness, and breathlessness intermittently in the past 2 to 3 weeks, more intensely in the past week. The patient had gone hiking in the White Mountains in New Hampshire about 2 months earlier, where he developed a red rash on his left thigh. After returning from that trip, he developed a headache, muscle aches, and low-grade fever with chills, which he attributed to the flu. He did not seek medical attention and felt better a week after having taken an over-the-counter pain and fever medication. He had no history of joint pain or facial asymmetry or weakness. Vital signs on arrival: body temperature 36.5 ºC (97.6 ºF), pulse rate 40/min and regular, blood pressure 108/59 mm Hg. Cannon A waves were seen on the jugular venous...