What causes pericarditis?

Pericarditis may be caused by infection, autoimmune disorders, inflammation after a heart attack, chest injury, cancer, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), kidney failure, medical treatments (such as certain medicines or radiation therapy to the chest), or heart surgery.

Is pericarditis serious?

Pericarditis causes chest pain and a high temperature. It’s not usually serious, but it can cause serious health problems. Get medical advice if you have chest pain.

What is pericarditis and how is it treated?

The inflammation of pericarditis is usually treated with anti-inflammatory medications (such as ibuprofen). It is important to treat the underlying disease or illness if one is present. Pericardial tamponade occurs when enough fluid accumulates in the sac to compromise the heart’s ability to adequately pump blood.

What is the most common cause of pericarditis?

The cause of pericarditis is often unknown, though viral infections are a common reason. Pericarditis may occur after a respiratory or digestive system infection. Chronic and recurring pericarditis may be caused by autoimmune disorders such as lupus, scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Is pericarditis an emergency?

Acute pericarditis can also represent a medical emergency due to chest pain of upsetting intensity. Decompensations in chronic advanced constriction and in the clinical course of purulent pericarditis necessitate critical care as well.

Is exercise good for pericarditis?

You shouldn’t do any strenuous activity for a few weeks, until your pericarditis has gone and your heart is back to normal. This will help to reduce your risk of low blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms. If you do a lot of sport, you may need to limit exercise for at least three months.

Does pericarditis damage the heart?

Pericarditis can be acute or chronic. “Acute” means that it occurs suddenly and usually doesn’t last long. “Chronic” means that it develops over time and may take longer to treat. Both acute and chronic pericarditis can disrupt your heart’s normal rhythm and/or function and possibly (although rarely) lead to death.

What is the best treatment for pericarditis?

Your doctor may prescribe a medicine called colchicine and a steroid called prednisone. If a bacterial infection is causing your pericarditis, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic or other medicine. You may need to stay in the hospital during treatment so your doctor can check you for complications.

How do you fix pericarditis?

With constrictive pericarditis, the only cure is surgery known as a pericardiectomy to remove the pericardium. This is only done when symptoms become severe.

How long can you live with pericarditis?

Long-term survival after pericardiectomy depends on the underlying cause. Of common causes, idiopathic constrictive pericarditis has the best prognosis (88% survival at 7 years), followed by constriction due to cardiac surgery (66% at 7 years).

Is pericarditis worse at night?

A common symptom of acute pericarditis is a sharp, stabbing chest pain, usually coming on quickly. It’s often is in the middle or left side of the chest, and there may be pain in one or both shoulders. Sitting up and leaning forward tends to ease the pain, while lying down and breathing deep worsens it.

How bad does pericarditis hurt?

Chest pain is the most common symptom of pericarditis. It usually feels sharp or stabbing. However, some people have dull, achy or pressure-like chest pain. The pain usually occurs behind the breastbone or in the left side of your chest.

Most often, pericarditis is caused by a viral infection and the treatment is aimed at decreasing inflammation and controlling pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs (ibuprofen [ Motrin and others], naproxen [ Aleve , Naprosyn, and others]) are commonly used.

What does pericarditis feel like?

Symptoms of pericarditis. Pericarditis can feel like a heart attack, with a sharp or stabbing pain in your chest that comes on suddenly. The pain can be in the middle or left side of your chest, behind the breastbone. Pain may radiate to your shoulders, neck, arms, or jaw.

What does pericarditis mean?

Definition Pericarditis is an inflammation of the two layers of the thin, sac-like membrane that surrounds the heart. Pericarditis is fairly common. The viruses that cause pericarditis include those that cause influenza, polio, and rubella ( German measles ).

What is the difference between endocarditis and pericarditis?

• Endocarditis is the inflammation of the inner covering of the heart while pericarditis is inflammation of the outer covering of the heart. • Endocarditis presents commonly with palpitation, fever of unknown origin, and chest pain. Pericarditis presents with a chest pain that lessens with bending forwards.