Lyme Carditis
What is Lyme Carditis?
Lyme carditis is a rare complication of Lyme disease that affects the heart. It happens when the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, called Borrelia, spread to heart tissue. This usually occurs 1 to 2 months after a tick bite.
The infection disrupts the heart's electrical signals, which control your heartbeat. This can cause heart block, a condition where signals between the upper and lower chambers of the heart are delayed or blocked. While Lyme carditis is serious, most people recover fully with prompt antibiotic treatment.
Only about 1 in 100 people with Lyme disease develop Lyme carditis. Young and middle-aged men are affected more often than other groups. Early detection through blood testing helps prevent serious complications and speeds recovery.
Symptoms
- Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Fainting or near-fainting episodes
- Fatigue and general weakness
- Fever
- Body aches
Some people with Lyme carditis experience mild symptoms that they might dismiss. Others develop severe heart block requiring immediate medical attention. Symptoms typically appear weeks after the initial tick bite and may occur alongside other Lyme disease signs like rash or joint pain.
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Causes and risk factors
Lyme carditis develops when Borrelia bacteria from an infected tick bite enter the bloodstream and reach the heart. The bacteria cause inflammation in the heart tissue, particularly in the areas that control electrical signals. This inflammation disrupts normal heart rhythm and can affect the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently.
Risk factors include living in or visiting areas where deer ticks are common, spending time outdoors in wooded or grassy areas, and not taking tick prevention measures. The condition is more likely to occur in people who don't receive early antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. People who develop Lyme carditis often don't remember being bitten by a tick, which delays diagnosis and treatment.
How it's diagnosed
Lyme carditis is diagnosed through a combination of clinical evaluation, heart monitoring, and blood testing. Doctors look for signs of heart block using an electrocardiogram, which measures the heart's electrical activity. Blood tests check for Lyme disease antibodies that confirm exposure to Borrelia bacteria.
Rite Aid offers Lyme disease antibody testing through our add-on tests at Quest Diagnostics locations nationwide. Testing is especially important if you have cardiac symptoms and recent outdoor exposure in tick-prone areas. Your doctor may also order additional heart tests like an echocardiogram to assess heart function and rule out other causes of your symptoms.
Treatment options
- Intravenous antibiotics for moderate to severe cases, typically ceftriaxone
- Oral antibiotics for mild cases, such as doxycycline or amoxicillin
- Hospital monitoring for severe heart block or unstable heart rhythms
- Temporary pacemaker if heart block is advanced
- Rest and reduced physical activity during recovery
- Follow-up heart monitoring to ensure complete recovery
- Tick prevention strategies to avoid reinfection
Need testing for Lyme Carditis? Add it to your panel.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Lyme carditis typically develops 1 to 2 months after an infected tick bite. However, many people don't remember the tick bite or initial infection. Symptoms can appear suddenly, even if you never noticed other signs of Lyme disease like a rash. Early treatment of Lyme disease with antibiotics can prevent Lyme carditis from developing.
Lyme carditis can be life-threatening if not treated promptly, but deaths are extremely rare. Most people recover fully with antibiotic treatment. Severe heart block can cause dangerous drops in heart rate and blood pressure. This is why people with symptoms like fainting, severe dizziness, or chest pain should seek immediate medical care.
Most people recover within 1 to 6 weeks with proper antibiotic treatment. Heart block typically resolves within 1 week of starting antibiotics. Some people need hospital monitoring for a few days if heart block is severe. Follow-up testing ensures the heart's electrical system has returned to normal before resuming full activities.
No, Lyme carditis is not contagious from person to person. You can only get Lyme disease from an infected tick bite. The bacteria that cause Lyme disease are spread by blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks. You cannot catch Lyme disease or Lyme carditis from someone who has it.
Hospitalization depends on the severity of your heart block. People with advanced heart block often need intravenous antibiotics and continuous heart monitoring in a hospital. Mild cases may be treated with oral antibiotics at home. Your doctor will decide based on your electrocardiogram results and symptoms like fainting or severe dizziness.
Lyme carditis rarely returns after successful antibiotic treatment. However, you can get Lyme disease again if bitten by another infected tick. Reinfection can potentially cause Lyme carditis a second time. Using tick prevention measures like repellent and protective clothing reduces your risk of future infections.
Heart block occurs when electrical signals between the upper and lower chambers of the heart are delayed or blocked. Lyme bacteria cause inflammation that disrupts these signals. First-degree heart block is mild, while third-degree block is severe and can cause fainting. An electrocardiogram shows the degree of heart block and guides treatment decisions.
You should consider Lyme disease testing if you have heart symptoms and possible tick exposure. This is especially important if you live in or recently visited areas where Lyme disease is common. Many conditions cause heart palpitations, so your doctor will evaluate your full medical history. Blood testing for Lyme antibodies helps confirm or rule out Lyme carditis.
Most people recover completely without lasting heart damage when treated promptly with antibiotics. The heart's electrical system typically returns to normal within weeks. Delayed treatment or severe cases may rarely cause persistent problems. Regular follow-up with your doctor ensures your heart function has fully recovered before resuming exercise and other strenuous activities.
Prevention starts with avoiding tick bites and treating Lyme disease early. Use insect repellent with DEET when outdoors in wooded or grassy areas. Wear long sleeves and pants, and check for ticks after outdoor activities. If you find a tick or develop Lyme disease symptoms like a rash, see a doctor right away for antibiotics.