what are the core symptoms of pericarditis?

Question

What are the most common symptoms of pericarditis?

Answer 1

Chest pain, fatigue: The usual symptoms of pericarditis include sharp chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, and possibly exercise intolerance. If the process is acute, or sudden onset (often from an infectious etiology), you may also have signs of infection such as fever, headache, muscle aches/pains, etc.

Answer 2

NSAIDS: Pericarditis is inflamation. Of the sack around the heart . Anti-inflamatories such as Motrin are helpful. Steroids are used in severe cases. Colchicine has been shown to help in some cases.

Answer 3

Anti-inflammatories: Most episodes of pericarditis are caused by viruses and are treated symptomatically. Aspirin, Ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory drugs are used - sometimes steroids. Rarely it will be secondary to a bacterial infection requiring antibiotics.

Answer 4

Pericarditis: It is a common condition. It is sometimes difficult to diagnosed if it is mild. We often suspect but cannot confirm it is pericarditis. The confirmed cases are usually those more severe.

Answer 5

Not terribly common: Pericarditis is frequently caused by a virus. Sometimes it is the result of trauma or a heart attack. It can be very painful. It is often treated with antiinflammatory drugs.

Answer 6

Pericarditis: Most patients who suffere viral pericarditis have a limited disease that resolves in 2-3 weeks. Occasionally some patients have a more protracted course and with more severe symptoms. Some of these patiens go and develop chornic pericarditis with thickening of the prericardium and eventually symptoms of congestive heart failure.

Answer 7

Depends: Shortterm effects of pericarditis are usually minimal...Mainly only chest pains; however in severe cases one can develop a pericardial effusion and have problems associated with this (if large and it develops fast can cause tamponade and death if not drained). This is very rare. If one has recurrent pericarditis, or in other rare circumstances on can develop constriction/restriction from scarring.

Answer 8

Anti-inflammatories: We usually use anti-inflammatories such as Aspirin and steroids. For prevention of recurrence, Colchicine is used most effectively. There are multiple types of pericarditis and one has to know the type before the right treatment is given. No invasive measure per se is needed to treat the great majority of pericarditis types, constrictive pericarditis being the one exception.

Answer 9

Usually drugs: Anti-inflammatory medications are the first line treatment - Ibuprofen and others, Colchicine and steroids may be needed. Rarely fluid may need to be drained with a pericardiocentesis. Surgery is rarely needed - a pericardial window or pericardiectomy if the heart is constricted by scarring.

Answer 10

Not typically: The batson's plexus significance is that it's a network of veins without valves. Typically veins have valves, due to the low pressure in the venous system, to decrease the chance of flow backup within the system. The batson's plexus connects the deep pelvic veins & thoracic veins, & with no valves can easily serve as conduit for infection/cancer cells to travel from pelvic structures to the spine.

Answer 11

Unlikely: Batson's plexus is the name for the veins that surround the vertebral bodies. Veins are very compressible so they are unlikely to cause any pressure on nerves.

Answer 12

Many causes: Most common is viral pericarditis, but kidney failure, lupus, tuberculosis, some medications like Hydralazine and chemo drug bleomycin can cause pericarditis.

Answer 13

Varied: Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma, can cause pericarditis. Kidney failure (uremic pericarditis), tumors, genetic diseases such as familial mediterranean fever, or rarely, medications that suppress the immune system can also be the cause. In a number of cases of pericarditis, the cause is unknown. This is referred to as idiopathic pericarditis.

what are the core symptoms of pericarditis?

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