Myocarditis and pericarditis are inflammatory disorders of the heart characterised by a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from mild, self-limited chest discomfort to fulminant heart failure or malignant arrhythmias.

Due to diagnostic uncertainty, overlapping clinical and imaging phenotypes, and rapidly evolving therapeutic evidence, their management demands a precision-based, individualised approach and an awareness of current gaps in clinical decision-making.

This month, FOCUS delves into the 2025 ESC Guidelines for the Management of Myocarditis and Pericarditis, exploring the updated diagnostic criteria, optimised use of multimodal imaging and biopsy, risk stratification strategies, targeted therapies, and gaps in evidence highlighted by the new guidelines.

The content below was selected by Ronen Beeri, Fernando Dominguez, Maria Generosa Crespo-Leiro, Massimo Imazio and Jeanette Schulz Menger to support you in translating new recommendations into real-world impact.