Also known as pericardial disease, pericarditis is the inflammation of any part of the pericardium, which is a thin fibrous membrane sac that surrounds the heart and consists of an inner visceral layer that envelopes the heart, an outer parietal layer that comprises the outer fibrous sac, and a middle layer to prevent friction between the two previously-mentioned layers.
What causes pericarditis? A variety of conditions including:
- Infections
- Heart Surgery
- Heart Attack
- Trauma
- Tumors
- Cancer
- Radiation
- Autoimmune diseases
The symptoms of pericarditis may include chest pain that is sharp and is located in the center of the chest and expands outward, a mid fever, and increased heart rate.
Treatments for this condition depends on the individual and the cause of pericarditis. It may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) to decrease pain and inflammation. It can also be steroids and antibiotics.
For patients with constrictive pericarditis, blood cannot enter the heart due to a thickening and scarring in the pericardium layers. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, heart failure symptoms, and atrial fibrillation. Constrictive pericarditis is treated with analgesics, diuretics, antiarrhythmics,or pericardiectomy (the surgical procedure that removes the stiff pericardium from the heart).
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