Pericarditis is swelling and irritation of the pericardium, the thin saclike membrane surrounding your heart. Pericarditis often causes chest pain and sometimes other symptoms. The sharp chest pain associated with pericarditis occurs when the irritated layers of the pericardium rub against each other.
Symptoms
- Sharp, piercing chest pain over the center or left side of the chest
- Shortness of breath when reclining
- Heart palpitations
- Low-grade fever
- An overall sense of weakness, fatigue or feeling sick
- Cough
- Abdominal or leg swelling
Diagnosis
- Electrocardiogram (ECG
- Chest X-ray
- Echocardiogram
- Computerized tomography (CT)
- Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI
Treatment
- Medications
- Pain relievers
- Colchicine (Colcrys, Mitigare)
- Corticosteroids
- Pericardiocentesis
- Pericardiectomy
