Home Health Center Pericarditis   Treating Pericarditis The Right Way

Treatment for Pericarditis


Treatment for pericarditis depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the symptoms. Milder cases are liable to clear up on their own without the need for medical intervention.
 
Your treatment choice for pericarditis depends on the cause as well as the severity. Mild cases of pericarditis may get better on their own without treatment. Often, medication is prescribed to relieve the pain and swelling caused by pericarditis. Some of the medications used to treat pericarditis are:

  • Over-the-Counter Painkillers: Quite often, painkillers that are available without a prescription, provide adequate relief from the pain associated with pericarditis. These include aspirin and ibuprofen.
  • Narcotic Analgesics (Painkillers): These are usually given in extreme cases which do not respond well to milder analgesics. Morphine is one such example.
  • Colchicine: This is an effective anti-inflammatory drug that is usually prescribed in cases of recurrent symptoms. It reduces the period of the pericarditis symptoms and decreases the chances of a recurrence. Colchicine however, should not be taken by those with kidney or liver diseases and may interact adversely with certain medications. Your doctor will prescribe colchicine only after a thorough medical history has been taken.
  • Corticosteroids: These drugs are prescribed in cases that are unresponsive to traditional analgesics or in cases of recurrent pericarditis. Prednisolone is one such corticosteroid that may be prescribed.
  • Antibiotics: These drugs are used to treat the underlying bacterial infection that is responsible for the pericarditis.
  • Severe cases of pericarditis like cardiac tamponade, caused by fluid buildup around the heart, may require hospitalization for treatment. The procedures that may be performed include:
  • Pericardiocentesis: This procedure involves the insertion of a catheter or a sterile needle into the cavity. Excess fluid can then be removed in this manner. The procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia with an echocardiogram machine monitoring your heart and under ultrasound guidance. The drainage can continue over a period of several days.
  • Pericardiectomy: This is a surgical procedure involving the removal of the complete pericardium. It is usually performed in cases of constrictive pericarditis where the entire pericardium has become rigid, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood.

Prognosis
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Frequently asked questions
References
  1. Brent E. Mabey, Ron M. Walls, Acute pericarditis, The Journal of Emergency Medicine, Volume 3, Issue 6, 1985, Pages 457-467, ISSN 0736-4679, 10.1016/0736-4679(85)90005-8.
  2. Susy S. Hota, ChiMing Chow, Daniel Bonneau, Robert J. Chisholm, Surgical treatment for incessant pericarditis, Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Volume 25, Issue 3, March 2009, Pages 161-162, ISSN 0828-282X, 10.1016/S0828-282X(09)70048-0.