Pericarditis Dr Rob Hicks The condition is commonly a complication of a viral infection.

In this article

What is Pericarditis? Symptoms

Causes and risk factors Treatment and recovery

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium - the two-layered membrane that surrounds the heart.

Symptoms include:

• Pain in the centre of the chest, which is worse when taking a deep breath and relieved by sitting forwards - many people think they're having a heart attack
• Fever
• Pain in the shoulders and neck
• Difficulty breathing
• Cough and fatigue

Complications of pericarditis include arrhythmias (irregular heart rates), pericardial effusion (fluid collection between the two layers of the pericardium) and chronic heart failure.

The cause of inflammation in pericarditis is often unknown, but it's commonly a complication of a viral infection.

When the pericardium becomes inflamed, the amount of fluid between its two layers increases, compressing the heart and interfering with its ability to function properly.

Pericarditis occur as a complication of:

• Viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic infection
• Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• Heart attack or heart surgery
• Cancer

Pericarditis can affect people of any age, but most often affects men aged 20 to 50.

Treatment is usually with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, though steroid therapy may be recommended and sometimes surgical intervention is needed, for example to drain fluid from around the heart.

Treated promptly, most people recover in two weeks to three months. Some go on to have recurrences or problems with thickening and scarring of the pericardium that restricts the action of the heart, requiring surgery to remove the scarred area of membrane.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Trisha Macnair in June 2009.