Symptoms pericarditis

Posted by admin on August 29th, 2008 at 11:31pm

Pericarditis can be defined as inflammation of the thin and protective membrane that lines the heart from outside. The inflammation here means redness and swelling of the membrane. The membrane surrounds the heart and keeps it in its proper anatomical location. The heart is most delicate organ in the human body and any pressure on it makes it uncomfortable and painful. The membrane is closest to the heart and thus inflammation of the membrane makes heart to pain which is the first symptom of pericarditis.

In case of acute pericarditis, commonest symptom is sharp and stabbing chest pain that is felt just underneath the breastbone or slightly left side of the chest. Nevertheless, some of the people suffering from acute pericarditis report their chest pains as dull and achy or feeling like someone has put lots of pressure on their chests. The intensity varies and they describe that the pain may travel to their neck, left shoulder and then coming down to the left arm finally ending in left palm (called as radiating pain in medical science).

The chest pain is most discomfort among all the symptoms pericarditis features. The heart becomes heavy and there is a feeling of something that is crushing the heart. The pain generally steps up when the patient lies down or takes deep breath. Oppositely, it eases up when the patient sits up and leans forward. At times, it becomes difficult to differentiate between the pericardial chest pain and the pain that occurs during heart attack.

Apart from chest pain, there is some other symptoms pericarditis as mentioned below:-

§  Mild fever or feverish

§  Shortness of breath (medically known as dyspnea)

§  Coughing (generally with phlegm)

§  Hiccups (medically known as eructation)

§  Muscle-ache or severe body pain especially left part of the body.

§  Uneasiness

§  Congestion in the thorax/chest region

§  Giddiness (in some cases)

In some of the cases, people suffer from nausea, profuse sweating/perspiration that are associated with chest pain. There might be indigestion that ends up with constipation but not necessary in all the cases of pericarditis. Whatever the symptoms pericarditis has, it makes patient tired, very weak and exhausted. The condition certainly interrupts routine activities and level of consciousness.

The type of chest pain felt during the pericarditis is also different from the angina. The angina generally turns worse with exertion but remains unaffected with deep breathing. In case, the pericarditis is left untreated, it can develop its complications.  The complication is fatal and the patient is at risk of sudden cardiac failure.

The symptoms of complication of pericarditis include severe breathlessness or shortness of breath (dyspnea) and irregular or rapid heartbeats all of a sudden. The coughing is severe and unbearable up to an extent that it becomes difficult for the patient to speak and to breathe. The cough might bring up foamy pink or yellow mucus. The sudden heart failure requires immediate medical attention that requires intensive cardiac care unit admission and proper treatment.

Under Casues+ Chronic Perocarditits+ Details+ New+ overview