Pericarditis

Heart Disease (Coronary Artery Disease) Slideshow

Medical Author: Benjamin C. Wedro, MD, FAAEM
Medical Editors: Daniel Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI and William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

• What is pericarditis?
• What causes pericarditis?
• What are the symptoms of pericarditis?
• How is pericarditis diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for pericarditis?
• What are the complications of pericarditis?
• Pericarditis At A Glance
• Related pericarditis article:
  Pericarditis - on eMedicineHealth
• Patient Discussions: Pericarditis - Describe Your Experience

What is pericarditis?

The hearts sits in the center of the chest and is surrounded by a sac called the pericardium. This sac has two layers, one that fits tightly onto the heart muscle and another looser layer surrounding the inner layer. Inflammation of these tissue layers surrounding the heart is referred to as pericarditis.

What causes pericarditis?

There are many causes of pericarditis. Most often the cause is unknown. Causes of pericarditis are listed below:

Idiopathic

• The cause of the illness is not identified (although often it's the result of a minor viral illness or "cold")
  
  

Mechanical injury to the heart

• Heart attack (myocardial infarction) and Dressler's syndrome
  
  
• Heart surgery and post pericardiotomy syndrome
  
  
• Trauma

Infection Bacterial

• Viral
  
  
• Fungal
  
  
• HIV

Tumors or cancer

• Primary (rare)
  
  
• Metastatic

Connective Tissue Disease

• Rheumatoid arthritis
  
  
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
  
  
• Sarcoidosis
  
  
• Scleroderma

Metabolic diseases

• Uremia (kidney failure)
  
  
• Hypothyroidism

Medication Reactions

• Side effects of certain medications can cause an immune response causing an inflammation of the pericardial sac and pericarditis. Medicines that have been implicated include phenytoin (Dilantin), hydralazine (Apresoline) and procainamide (Pronestyl, Procan-SR, Procanbid).

Pericarditis - Describe Your Experience

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