Pericarditis

Symptoms

Symptoms of pericarditis include:

• Chest pain. A sharp or dull constant pain often develops. The pain may be located in the centre of the chest and sometimes extends over the left shoulder. Deep breathing, lying down, or swallowing may make the pain worse; sitting up and leaning forward may improve it.
• Mild fever.
• A general feeling of weakness, fatigue, or light-headedness.
• Shortness of breath.
• Coughing.
• Hiccups.
• Muscle aches.

The type of chest pain that occurs with pericarditis differs from angina, which usually becomes worse with exertion but does not change with deep breathing. You should tell your doctor anytime you have chest pain. In the early stages of pericarditis, it may be difficult to tell whether the pain is from the inflammation or from a possible heart attack.

If you develop complications of pericarditis, you are at risk for sudden heart failure. Symptoms of sudden heart failure include sudden severe shortness of breath, a sudden irregular or rapid heartbeat, and a cough that brings up foamy pink mucus. Sudden heart failure is a medical emergency that requires immediate care. If you experience any symptoms of sudden heart failure, call911or quickly get other emergency medical help.

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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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