Diagnostics and Treatment of Cardiac Sarcoidosis Consensus Paper of the German Respiratory Society (DGP) and the German Cardiac Society (DGK)

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disorder which affects the respiratory system in the majority of the cases. Symptomatic cardiac manifestations are found in less than 10% of the affected cohorts and show a large heterogeneity based on the ethnic background. Cardiac sarcoidosis is not only found in patients with rhythmogenic heart disease, such as atrial and ventricular fibrillation but also in all phenotypes of cardiomyopathy. The overall morbidity and mortality caused by cardiac sarcoidosis in Germany remains unclear and large prospective international observational studies.underline the importance of this disease entity. This consensus paper on diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms for cardiac sarcoidosis is based on a current literature search and forms an expert opinion statement under the auspices of the German Respiratory Society and the German Cardiac Society. The rationale of this statement is to provide algorithms to facilitate clinical decisionmaking based on the individual case situation.