Pericarditis
Topic Overview
What is pericarditis?
Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, a membrane that surrounds the heart and its major blood vessels.
See a picture of pericarditis
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What causes pericarditis?
Most often, the cause of pericarditis is 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, radiation treatments for cancer, kidney failure, HIV infection, tuberculosis, hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases such as lupus, or certain drugs.
What are the symptoms?
Sharp chest pain is the most common symptom of pericarditis. The pain may be worse when you are lying down or taking a deep breath. The pain lasts a long time (hours or days) and is not relieved with rest. It is different from a type of chest pain called angina, which only lasts a short time (minutes to a couple of hours).
Other symptoms may include a mild fever, weakness, fatigue, coughing, hiccups, and muscle aches.
In the early stages of pericarditis, it may be hard to tell whether your chest pain is from inflammation or from a possible heart attack. Therefore, it is important to seek medical help as soon as possible.
Can complications develop?
Complications do not commonly develop from pericarditis. Most people recover in 7 to 10 days. When complications occur, they may include:
- Fluid buildup from an inflamed pericardium, which is called pericardial effusion.
- Sudden pressure on the heart and sudden difficulty pumping enough blood (called cardiac tamponade). This can result from the weight and pressure of the excess fluid buildup if it develops rapidly.
- Constrictive pericarditis, which can be caused by repeated or prolonged pericarditis. The pericardium becomes thickened and stiff, which makes it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively.
How is pericarditis diagnosed?
Your doctor will listen to your heart during a physical examination. He or she will also ask questions about your medical history and current health, such as whether you've had a recent virus, radiation treatment for cancer, or tuberculosis.
You may need a group of tests to diagnose pericarditis or to find out the cause of the inflammation (its underlying cause). Most likely, you will first have an electrocardiogram, a chest X-ray, and blood tests.
If the results of your chest X-ray show 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 complications, pericarditis caused by a virus usually goes away on its own. Medicines, such as ASA, ibuprofen, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are commonly used to manage the pain and inflammation. You may need antibiotics if the infection is caused by bacteria.
If the underlying cause—such as bacteria, hypothyroidism, or cancer and chemotherapy—is known, you will be treated for that condition. If there is any fluid buildup, your doctor may consider draining it with a needle or thin tube (catheter). This procedure is called pericardiocentesis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learning about pericarditis:
Being diagnosed:
Getting treatment:
Ongoing concerns:
Living with pericarditis:
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| Author: | Douglas Dana Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: June 21, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
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| Topic Contents | |
 | Topic Overview |
| Symptoms | |
| Examinations and Tests | |
| Treatment Overview | |
| Home Treatment | |
| Other Places To Get Help | |
| Related Information | |
| References | |
| Credits | |