What is pericarditis?

Pericarditis is a swelling and irritation of the pericardium, which is the sac that surrounds your heart.

See a picture of pericarditis.

What causes pericarditis?

Most of the time the cause is either not known or is thought to be a viral infection.

Less common causes of pericarditis are a heart attack, a bacterial infection, an injury to the chest, or radiation treatments for cancer. Kidney failure, HIV infection, tuberculosis, hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases such as lupus, or certain drugs may also cause pericarditis.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom is a sharp pain in the center of your chest or in the left side of your chest. For some people, this pain is dull instead of sharp. The pain may be worse when you lie down or take a deep breath.

The pain lasts for hours or days and does not get better when you rest. It is different from a type of chest pain called angina, which only lasts a short time and usually gets better with rest.

Other symptoms may include a mild fever, weakness, feeling very tired, coughing, hiccups, and muscle aches.

Pericarditis usually is not dangerous, but your chest pain could be caused by something more serious, like a heart attack. And getting diagnosed and treated early can help keep pericarditis from leading to other problems. That’s why you should call a doctor right away if you have any kind of sudden chest pain.

Can complications of pericarditis develop?

Pericarditis usually does not cause serious problems. Most people get better in 7 to 10 days. When there are problems, they may include:

• A buildup of fluid in the pericardial sac (pericardial effusion).
• Sudden pressure on the heart and sudden difficulty pumping enough blood (called cardiac tamponade). This can be caused by the weight and pressure of the fluid buildup if it happens quickly.
• Constrictive pericarditis, which can be caused by pericarditis that comes back or lasts longer than normal. The sac around the heart gets thick and stiff. This makes it harder for the heart to pump blood.

How is pericarditis diagnosed?

Your doctor will listen to your heart during a physical exam. He or she will also ask questions about your medical history, such as whether you've had a recent virus, radiation treatment for cancer, or tuberculosis.

Your doctor may want you to have several tests, including an electrocardiogram, a chest X-ray, and blood tests.

If the chest X-ray shows any fluid buildup, or if you have symptoms that last more than 10 days, your doctor will want you to have a test called an echocardiogram.

How is it treated?

If there are no other problems, pericarditis usually goes away on its own in a few weeks. Your doctor may suggest pain relievers that you can buy without a prescription to help take care of your pain or discomfort. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe stronger medicine.

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