Heart inflammation. Close-up of a gross specimen of a heart affected by alcoholic myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. This condition often causes no symptoms, or simple flu-like symptoms, making its diagnosis difficult. It is often fatal, as the inflammation can seriously disturb the normal pumping of the heart. It can be caused by a wide variety of factors, including viral and bacterial infections, exposure to radiation or some drugs (such as alcohol here) and some tropical diseases, such as Chagas disease. Treatment can be with anti-inflammatory drugs, the implantation of a pacemaker or even a heart transplant.