What is pericarditis?
Pericarditis is the inflammation of the serous membrane, i.e. the outer tunica surrounding the heart in the form of a sac (pericardium). It affects mostly men between 20 and 50 years of age.
What are the symptoms?
All symptoms are cardiocirculatory, ranging from dyspnea to heart failure. Sharp, stabbing chest pain is almost always present and may be felt in the neck, shoulder, back or abdomen. Other symptoms include:
- Increased deep breathing
- Anxiety
- Dry cough
- Swelling of ankles, feet and legs
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Chills or sweating
Causes of pericarditis or why it occurs
The cause of pericarditis is usually unknown. Often, it is due to an infectious origin such as:
- Viral infections that cause a cold or pneumonia.
- Bacterial infections
- Fungal infections
The condition can be seen with diseases such as:
- Cancer
- HIV infection and AIDS
- Hypothyroidism
- Kidney failure
- Rheumatic fever
- Tuberculosis
Can it be prevented?
Many cases are not preventable.
What is the treatment?
In many cases, it is usually a benign condition that resolves with treatment of the patient’s own symptoms. However, in rare cases surgical treatment may be necessary. Pericarditis can be very similar in clinical presentation to cardiomyopathy, but it is important to differentiate between them since the treatment is completely different.