Systemic vasculitis: an underestimated cause of heart failure - assessment by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Cardiovascular manifestations in systemic vasculitis include initially silent cardiomyopathy due to either ischemic or inflammatory causes. The combination of vasculitis and cardiomyopathy is associated with a poor prognosis. Early treatment with immunosuppressants in conjunction with appropriate cardiac pharmacotherapy is considered important and has dramatically improved prognosis. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance, due to its nonionizing, noninvasive evaluation of the cardiovascular system, can be of great value in the diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment of patients with systemic vasculitis.