As Covid vaccines are considered for all under-12s in Scotland, questions and worries around heart inflammation – conditions such as myocarditis and pericarditis – are arising.
The heart conditions have been linked to the Pfizer and Moderna jabs in extremely rare cases.
Data shows it is extremely unlikely to experience the condition following any of the coronavirus vaccines, however there has been a very small number of cases in the UK thought to be linked to the jabs.
But how worried about it should you be? And what are the chances of you or your child being affected?
We’re answering all your questions on myocarditis.
What is myocarditis?
Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle.
Most people recover from this without any issues and without the need for medical intervention.
But in rare cases, when inflammation is severe, the heart can sustain damage.
Symptoms of the condition include:
- A stabbing pain and/or tightness in the chest which may spread across the body
- Shortness of breath when lightly exercising or walking
- Difficulty breathing when resting
- Flu-like symptoms such as a high temperature, tiredness and fatigue
- Palpitations or an abnormal heart rhythm
Pericarditis is inflammation of the protective sac surrounding the heart. Symptoms include:
- Chest pain that feels like a stabbing sensation
- Pain in the neck that may spread across the shoulders and/or arms
- A fever
- Nausea
- Feeling light headed
- A sudden shortness of breath
What is the link between myocarditis and the Covid vaccine?
All vaccines have side effects, ranging from common to extremely rare and ranging in severity.
As of December 8 2021, in the UK there were 507 reports of myocarditis and 365 reports of pericarditis following use of the Pfizer vaccine.
There were also 111 reports of myocarditis and 63 reports of pericarditis following use of the Moderna vaccine.
The overall reporting rates for all ages after both the first and second doses of Pfizer are 11 myocarditis cases per million doses and eight pericarditis cases per million doses.
For Moderna, the rate is 39 myocarditis cases per million doses and 22 pericarditis cases per million doses.
We can therefore see the risk is very small.
In fact, researchers from John Hopkins Medicine in the US say it is much more common to experience the condition if you contract Covid-19 than from getting vaccinated.
And the UK Government found approximately 18% of hospitalised patients suffered myocardial injury in the acute phase of Covid-19 infection.
Who is most at risk of myocarditis?
The reporting rate for suspected myocarditis and pericarditis following a Covid vaccine is highest in the 18 to 29 age group in the UK.
Outwith cases linked to the jab, it is most frequently diagnosed in younger adults between the ages of 20 and 40.
However, children seem to have a more severe presentation than adults with a greater proportion requiring temporary mechanical circulatory support.
Young men also seem to be more at risk of the very rare vaccine side effect than women.
