Autoimmune heart diseases are the effects of the body's own immune defense system mistaking cardiac antigens as foreign and attacking them leading to inflammation of the heart as a whole, or in parts. The commonest form of autoimmune heart disease is rheumatic heart disease or rheumatic fever.
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These are the typical mechanisms of autoimmunity. Autoantibodies or auto-toxic T lymphocyte mediated tissue destruction. The process is aided by neutrophils, the complement system, tumor necrosis factor alpha, etc.
Etiologically, these are most commonly seen in children with a history of sore throat caused by a streptococcal infection. This is similar to the post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. Here, the anti-bacterial antibodies cross react with the heart antigens causing inflammation.
Inflammatory damage leads to the following:
These depend on the amount of inflammation. These are covered in their relevant articles.
Intensive cardiac care and immuno-suppressives including corticosteroids are helpful in the acute stage of the disease. Chronic phase has, mainly debility control and supportive care options.
1. Harrison's Guide to Internal Medicine. 2. Robin's Pathology. ISBN 1416025340