Country singer Randy Travis is hospitalized in critical condition with a viral heart infection, his publicist said Monday.
Travis, 54, was admitted to an unidentified Texas hospital on Sunday because of complications related to his “recently acquired viral cardiomyopathy,” Travis spokesman Kirt Webster said in a written statement.
Travis had recently been on the road, performing in Detroit on June 28 and Chicago on June 29. He was set to do a show in Deadwood, South Dakota, on Wednesday.
He appeared well during business meetings on Friday and Saturday, Webster said. “Then on Sunday, it hit him.”
Viral cardiomyopathy is a disorder where a virus attacks the muscles of the heart, causing the heart to beat slower, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. In some cases, the heart can stop, it said.
“Viral cardiomyopathy can be caused by 30-plus different viruses, but it’s almost impossible to pinpoint which virus it is,” said Dr. Ramin Oskoui, a cardiologist and internal medicine specialist in Washington. “Hospitals use viral cardiomyopathy as a ‘catch all’ diagnosis.”
Travis had a tough year in 2012 with arrests for assault and public intoxication, which earned him probation.
“To say that Mr. Travis’ alcohol use exacerbated his problems would be pure speculation, but if someone told me alcohol played a role in his cardiac problems, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Oskoui said.
Read more: cnn.com
