What is pericarditis?

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium. Pericarditis is usually acute - it develops suddenly and can last up to several months. The condition usually improves after 3 months, but sometimes attacks can come and go for years. When you have pericarditis, the membrane around your heart is red and swollen, like the skin around an inflamed cut. Sometimes there is extra fluid in the space between the pericardial layers, called a pericardial effusion. Pericarditis can affect anyone but is most common in men between the ages of 16 and 65.

 What are the symptoms of pericarditis?

• Pericarditis can cause chest pain:
•  Sharp and stabbing (caused by the heart rubbing against the pericardium)
•  It may get worse when you cough, swallow, breathe deeply, or lie flat.
•  It feels better when you sit down and lean forward
•  You may also feel the need to bend over or hold your chest to breathe more easily.
•  Other symptoms include:
•  Pain in your back, neck, or left shoulder Difficulty breathing while lying down
•  dry cough
•  anxiety or fatigue

 Pericarditis can cause swelling in your feet, legs, and ankles. This swelling may be a sign of constrictive pericarditis. This is a severe type of pericarditis, in which the pericardium hardens and/or thickens. When this happens, the heart muscle cannot expand, preventing your heart from working as it should. Your heart may constrict, which can cause blood to back up into your lungs, stomach, and legs and cause swelling. You may also develop an abnormal heart rhythm.

 If you have symptoms of constrictive pericarditis, such as shortness of breath, swollen legs and feet, fluid retention, palpitations, and severe abdominal distension, see a cardiologist and schedule an evaluation.

 Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade

 Fluid accumulation in the space between the sacs around the heart can lead to pericardial effusion. Rapid accumulation of water can cause cardiac tamponade. This can cause a sudden accumulation of water between the layers of the pericardium, causing the heart to malfunction and blood pressure to drop. Cardiac tamponade is life-threatening and requires immediate drainage.

 If you have any symptoms of acute pericarditis, call your doctor right away. If you think your symptoms are a medical emergency, call 911 right away to seek treatment at the nearest hospital.

 What causes pericarditis?

Pericarditis has many causes:

 Viral pericarditis is most often caused by a complication of a viral infection, a gastrointestinal virus. Bacterial pericarditis is caused by a bacterial infection, including tuberculosis. Fungal pericarditis is caused by a fungal infection. Parasitic pericarditis is caused by an infection by a parasite. Some autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma can cause pericarditis. Other causes of pericarditis include chest injuries such as a car accident (traumatic pericarditis), kidney failure (urinary tract pericarditis), tumors, and other health problems such as familial Mediterranean fever. (AAA) or, rarely, genetic diseases such as drugs suppress the immune system.