Pericarditis: Causes and Symptoms

Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sack-like membrane containing the heart. In many cases, the disease will pass without treatment.

What causes pericarditis?

In 90% of cases, the reason for pericarditis is obscure. This is known as idiopathic pericarditis.

There are many causes of pericarditis:

• A complication of a viral infection, most frequently a gastrointestinal virus, causes viral pericarditis.
• A bacterial infection that includes tuberculosis, causes bacterial pericarditis.
• Some autoimmune disease, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma, can lead to pericarditis.
• Injury to the chest, like after a car accident, causes traumatic pericarditis.
• Kidney failure causes uremic pericarditis.
• Tumors like lymphoma causes malignant pericarditis.
• Genetic diseases like Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF).

Who is affected by pericarditis?

Pericarditis can influence anybody, yet it mostly affects men ages 20-50 years. It's often the result of infection like viral infections causing a chest cold or pneumonia.

What are the symptoms?

Pericarditis symptoms can include the following:

• sharp pain in the chest, sometimes central, other times to the left, that might decrease in intensity while sitting up and leaning forward
• palpitations
• shortness of breath, particularly while leaning back
• minor fever
• general weakness
• swelling of the abdomen or legs
• a cough
• pain in the shoulder

The symptoms are basically the same as a heart attack. It is imperative to look for clinical attention if you encounter chest pain. A doctor can then rule out less severe conditions and investigate the reason for the pericarditis.

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When to call your doctor?

You must call your heart specialist in Puppalaguda right away, if:

• Your chest pain causes your chest to feel tight or heavy
• Your chest pain endures more than 15 minutes
• Your pain spreads to the arms, back, neck and jaw
• You also experience shortness of breath or feel sick.

Could pericarditis be prevented?

Acute pericarditis cannot be prevented. You and your cardiologist in Kondapur can take steps in reducing your chance of having another acute episode, complications or chronic pericarditis. These steps include getting prompt therapy, following your treatment plan and getting ongoing clinical care as required.

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