Does viral cardiomyopathy injure the heart?

Viral infections affecting the heart can produce myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, which can progress to cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle, according to the National Institutes of Health. Myocarditis may heal without lasting damage, but cardiomyopathy is a state where the heart has already been damaged.

The Mayo Clinic notes that infection, including by viruses, is one of the possible causes of dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the left ventricle of the heart becomes larger and weaker. While dilated cardiomyopathy may not cause symptoms, it's nonetheless a common cause of heart failure, irregular heartbeat, and blood clots.