Care for Cardiac Sarcoidosis

Our specialists at NYU Langone’s Sarcoidosis Program provide expert care for cardiac sarcoidosis, a serious condition that affects heart rhythms and function.

Cardiac sarcoidosis occurs when groups of white blood cells, called granulomas, accumulate in the heart muscle. Cardiac sarcoidosis does not always cause symptoms, but when it does, it can affect the ability of the heart to pump blood as well as cause both abnormally fast and slow heart rhythms.

Symptoms of cardiac sarcoidosis include shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, dizziness, light-headedness, and loss of consciousness. It can be difficult to diagnose cardiac sarcoidosis, which is often mistaken for other forms of heart failure.

Our heart experts, which include specialists in advanced heart failure, electrophysiology, and cardiac imaging, work together to identify cardiac sarcoidosis. Usually, a biopsy is performed to verify the diagnosis of sarcoidosis outside of the heart, followed by an MRI scan, PET/CT scan, echocardiograms, and rhythm monitoring, which are used to confirm cardiac involvement.

Based on the diagnosis, we plan your individualized treatment strategy, to help reverse as well as prevent any further heart damage. Treatment includes standard heart failure medications as well as varying immunosuppressives, which are medications that help prevent the immune system from damaging healthy cells or tissue. To prevent dangerous arrhythmias, we may also recommend cardiac devices or ablations, the use of extreme heat or cold to destroy tissue causing the irregular heartbeat.

We work with other specialists in the Sarcoidosis Program to provide comprehensive treatment for each individual.

If needed, we refer patients to the NYU Langone Transplant Institute for heart transplantation. We are also conducting clinical research to advance care in cardiac sarcoidosis.