CHALLENGES OF CARDIAC SARCOIDOSIS: A CLINICAL OVERVIEW

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is characterized as an idiopathic multisystemic granulomatosis, which can involve almost any organ. Most often, the disease involves the lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes, but it can affect the skin, eyes, nervous system, heart, kidneys, joints, muscles, calcium metabolism, and probably any other organ. Cardiac sarcoidosis is one of the most challenging involvements, as it can lead to mortality and cardiac morbidity, and also because diagnosis can be difficult. Without specific symptoms, cardiac sarcoidosis may be difficult to suspect in a patient without a prior diagnosis of extracardiac sarcoidosis. This article aims to analyze current knowledge regarding the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.