The heart is encased in a protective two-layered sac known as the pericardium. The main function of the pericardium is to protect the heart from infections and prevent it from filling up too much with blood. There are cases where the pericardium may become inflamed, and this leads to a severe medical condition known as pericarditis.
When the two layers of the pericardium get close together, they may rub against each other and get damaged or inflamed. As the two layers become inflamed, blood cells as well as fluids begin to fill into the space between the two layers. This inflammation is rather painful and causes a lot of discomfort to the person suffering from it. The pain resulting from pericarditis is so severe that it is often mistaken for a heart attack.
Pericarditis is of two kinds. The first is acute, which occurs when the pericardium becomes inflamed due to physical injuries or acute infections. The second is chronic. Chronic pericarditis occurs over a period of time and is usually caused due to chronic infections affecting the heart. Chronic pericarditis builds up slowly, sometimes over a period of several years. Unlike acute pericarditis, which usually has a good prognosis and can be treated fairly quickly, chronic pericarditis may take a lot of time to heal. Complication known as chronic constrictive pericarditis occurs when the pericardium becomes inflamed and thickens, constricting the heart.
Some of the symptoms of chronic pericarditis include:
While pain is often the first symptom in acute pericarditis, in chronic pericarditis, pain is usually absent completely. If a person experiences pericardial effusion and the fluid build-up occurs slowly, the heart gets compressed and the patient will not have any symptoms.
It is not always possible to identify the cause of chronic pericarditis, but it is often caused due to an underactive thyroid gland, tuberculosis, and even cancer. Although infections are usually responsible for acute pericarditis, sometimes they may also be associated with chronic pericarditis. Untreated physical injuries, recent heart surgery, and autoimmune disorders may also cause pericarditis.
After looking through your medical history, the doctor will recommend physical examination. If chronic pericarditis is suspected, the doctor will suggest further testing, such as a biopsy of the pericardium, cardiac catheterization, chest X rays, MRIs, and CT scans. Based on the results of the tests, the doctors will make a final diagnosis and recommend treatment procedures.
There are two types of chronic pericarditis. The first is chronic effusive pericarditis and the second is chronic constrictive pericarditis. The treatment of the condition depends on the type of chronic pericarditis. Medications to treat the underlying cause of the condition are usually the first course of treatment, but this can be followed up with more intensive therapy. Surgery may be performed when the condition is very severe and cannot be treated with the help of medications.
Apart from the medical attention, proper home care is also extremely important to help with the treatment and to prevent recurrences or development of complications. There are no home remedies for the treatment of this condition.
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