Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease where the muscle of the lower left chamber of the heart (left ventricle) becomes abnormally thick and enlarged.
Kawasaki disease occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, resulting in inflammation of the blood vessels and heart muscles.
Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle. It’s most often caused by a virus but can also be caused by bacteria, a fungus, or even certain chemicals.
Rheumatic fever is a rare progression of strep throat, where the heart valves may be damaged as the body produces antibodies to fight the strep infection.