Pericarditis

Pericardial disease or pericardits is inflammation of any layers of the pericardium. The pericardium is a thin fibrous membrane sac that surrounds the heart and consists of:

• Inner layer that envelopes the entire heart.
• Outer layer comprising the outer fibrous sac.
• Middle fluid layer to prevent friction between the inner and outer layers.

Risk factors

In addition to the general causes and risk factors of most heart diseases, pericarditis may be caused by: infections, heart surgery, cancer, and radiation.

Prevention & Planning Ahead

To prevent pericarditis limit as many heart disease risk factors as possible. See your doctor immediately if you experience any pericarditis or constructive pericardits symptoms.

Symptoms

If you have pericardits you may experience:

• Chest pain. This pain is different from angina (pain caused by coronary artery disease). It may be sharp and located in the center of the chest. The pain may radiate to the neck and occasionally, to the arms and back. The pain worsens when you lie down, cough, or swallow. The pain is relieved by sitting forward.
• Increased heart rate.
• Low grade fever.

Diagnosis

Your doctor can diagnose pericarditis by asking about your symptoms, examining EKG results, and performing a physical exam. The tests used to diagnose pericarditis are also used to diagnose constrictive pericarditis.

Intervention/Treatment

Treatment for pericarditis is based on the cause and may include: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) to decrease the pain and inflammation or antibiotics if the pericarditis is caused by infection.

Constructive pericarditis may be treated by: analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents to treat pain or inflammation, diuretics to treat heart failure symptoms, or pericardiectomy (the surgical removal of the stiff pericardium from the heart).

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