Pericarditis

Symptoms of pericarditis

The main symptom of pericarditis is chest pain.

The chest pain usually:

feels sharp or stabbing
spreads to your shoulders, arms or tummy
gets worse when you breathe in deeply, swallow, cough or lie down (especially when you lie down on your left side)
gets better when you lean forward

You may also have:

a high temperature, or feel hot, cold or shivery
a cough
painful joints

If you get pericarditis, it often follows a viral infection like a cold or flu.

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

You have chest pain and it:

is sharp or stabbing
gets worse when you take a deep breath in, swallow, cough or lie down

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Call 999 if:

You have sudden chest pain that:

spreads to your arms, back, neck or jaw
makes your chest feel tight or heavy
also started with shortness of breath, sweating and feeling or being sick
lasts more than 15 minutes

You could be having a heart attack. Call 999 immediately as you need immediate treatment in hospital.

Do not drive yourself to A&E.

The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.

Tests for pericarditis

A GP will listen to your heart to check for pericarditis. This is because it can change the sound your heart makes.

To confirm pericarditis, the GP may:

do some blood tests
refer you for a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG) or echocardiogram in hospital

ECGs are safe and painless, and some GPs can do them at the surgery.

Treatment for pericarditis

Treatment for pericarditis will depend on what's causing it. You may be given anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as ibuprofen, to help ease symptoms like pain.

Sitting up or leaning forward can also help ease the pain.

You may need other treatment. For example, a GP may prescribe medicines such as:

colchicine - if anti-inflammatory painkillers do not work or pericarditis keeps coming back
steroids - if colchicine does not work
antibiotics - if pericarditis is caused by a bacterial infection

Most people feel better within a few weeks.

Causes of pericarditis

Your heart has a protective fluid-filled sac around it called the pericardium.

In pericarditis, the pericardium gets inflamed, and blood or fluid can leak into it.

It's difficult to confirm the exact cause of pericarditis, but it's usually a viral infection, such as a cold or flu.

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