| Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, a | | | | sources of cardiac perforation include central line |
| membrane that surrounds the heart and its major | | | | placement, pacemaker insertion, cardiac |
| blood vessels. Pericarditis can be caused by infection, | | | | catheterization, sternal bone marrow biopsies, and |
| heart attack, autoimmune disorders, chest trauma, | | | | pericardiocentesis. |
| cancer, kidney failure, or drugs. Pericarditis most often | | | | Pericarditis usually occurs in flare-ups, but it may be the |
| affects men aged 20-50. Pericarditis may be acute or | | | | presenting manifestation. Constrictive pericarditis is a |
| chronic. Heart attack (see post-MI pericarditis) and | | | | very difficult therapeutic problem. Diuretics may be |
| myocarditis can cause pericarditis, as can radiation | | | | used to remove excess fluid accumulated in the |
| therapy to the chest and medications that suppress | | | | pericardial sac. Bacterial pericarditis must be treated |
| the immune system. Acute pericarditis due to | | | | with antibiotics. Fungal pericarditis is treated with |
| tuberculosis begins insidiously, sometimes without | | | | antifungal agents. Medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, |
| obvious symptoms of lung infection. It may produce | | | | or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), |
| fever and symptoms of heart failure, such as | | | | are commonly used to manage the pain and |
| weakness, fatigue, and difficulty breathing. Cardiac | | | | inflammation. Acute inflammatory pericarditis usually |
| tamponade may occur. Pericarditis can be | | | | lasts one to three weeks and doesn't lead to further |
| misdiagnosed as myocardial infarction, and vice versa. | | | | problems. About 20 percent of pericarditis patients |
| Pericarditis is more common in adolescents and young | | | | have a recurrence within months or, rarely, within |
| adults. In a recent study, Merce et al found no | | | | years. Pericarditis is treated with bed rest, diuretics, and |
| difference in etiology, clinical course, and prognosis | | | | digitalis, but definitive treatment requires surgery to strip |
| between elderly and younger patients with moderate | | | | the thickened pericardial lining from the heart. |
| and large pericardial effusions. | | | | Treatment for Pericarditis Tips |
| Pericarditis occurs in up to 15% of patients who have | | | | 1. Analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs are given to |
| acute myocardial infarctions (heart attacks). There is | | | | relieve pain. |
| also a late form of post-heart-attack pericarditis, called | | | | 2. Antibiotics are also prescribed if the pericarditis is |
| Dressler’s syndrome, that occurs weeks to months | | | | due to a bacterial infection. |
| after the heart attack. Chronic pericarditis occurs when | | | | 3. Tamponade is treated by draining the fluid from the |
| the pericardial inflammation does not resolve within a | | | | pericardial sac, usually via a tiny catheter. |
| few weeks. Constrictive pericarditis occurs when a | | | | 4. Removing the fluid relieves the pressure on the |
| chronically inflamed pericardial sac sticks to the heart | | | | heart, and restores normal cardiac function almost |
| muscle, squeezing it constricting it. A CT or MRI scan | | | | immediately. |
| can also help to diagnose chronic or constrictive | | | | 5. Pericarditis is treated with bed rest, diuretics, and |
| pericarditis, by showing the thickening of the pericardial | | | | digitalis. |
| lining associated with these conditions. Potential | | | | |