Why do some people with cardiac sarcoidosis need pacemakers?
Sarcoidosis most commonly targets the lungs, but the disease can also affect the heart, a condition called cardiac sarcoidosis. Any part of the heart can be affected, ranging from the hearts electrical signaling system to the heart muscle and valves and the layers of tissue that cover the heart. Most doctors treat cardiac sarcoidosis with corticosteroid medications, which are also called glucocorticoids or steroids. These are powerful drugs that can stop or prevent heart injury by reducing the inflammation caused by sarcoidosis. Corticosteroids will reduce the inflammation associated with granulomas, but they might not correct irregular heartbeats or improve the hearts pumping ability once inflammation has already seriously damaged the heart muscle. For these problems, doctors might prescribe an antiarrhythmia drug based your specific symptoms and your medical and medication history. For people with serious arrhythmias or heart blockages, a pacemaker or an automatic implantable defibri
