infection

Pericarditis

Pericarditis is of the pericardium, the fibrous sac surrounding the heart. Symptoms typically include sudden onset of sharp chest pain, which may also be felt in the shoulders, neck, or back. The pain is typically less severe when sitting up and more severe when lying down or breathing deeply. Other symptoms of pericarditis can include fever, weakness, , and shortness of breath. The onset of symptoms can occasionally be gradual rather than sudden.

Underlined words are explained — tap any of them.

Symptoms — what it feels like

·Sharp chest pain, better sitting up and worse with lying down, fever

Causes — why it happens

·Viral , , uremic pericarditis, following a heart attack, cancer, disorders, chest

How it's found

·Based on symptoms, , fluid around the heart

Treatment

·, colchicine,

Complications

· tamponade, myocarditis, constrictive pericarditis

Outlook

·Usually good

More in Heart

Coronary artery disease Heart failure Arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation)Cardiomyopathy Heart valve disease Rheumatic heart disease Congenital heart defect Heart attack Cardiac arrest Myocarditis Aortic stenosis Long QT syndrome

See all of Heart →

Plain-language summary adapted from Wikipedia. Not medical advice.