What is pericarditis?
The pericardium is a thin membrane that surrounds the heart. Percarditis is the inflammation of the pericardium. There are two layers of the pericardium - an inner layer and an outer layer. Between these two layers is a small amount of lubricating fluid and when the pericardium swells the amount of fluid between the layers increases, or "sweats". This squeezes the heart and restricts its action and can cause chest pain.

What causes pericarditis?
In many cases the cause of pericarditis is unknown, but there are other causes that can lead to it. Other factors that can lead to pericarditis include: infection (viral, fungal, or bacterial), heart attack, radiation treatment, surgery, medication, and systematic inflammatory disorders.

How is pericarditis treated?
For patients who are experiencing pain as a result of their pericarditis, medications such as analgesics or anti-inflammatories are used to manage the pain. If the pericarditis is due to a bacterial infection, antibiotics are used. For patients with more serious levels of fluid interfering with the heart's normal activity a needle can be used to go in and remove some of the fluid. If that is not successful, surgery is sometimes needed.