Pericarditis refers to the inflammation or infection of the membrane that surrounds the heart. This membrane or sac is known as the pericardium and forms a protective layer around the heart. If inflamed or infected, a build up of fluid develops between the layers of the membrane and a condition known as pericardial effusion may develop.
The exact causes of pericarditis still remain unknown. Possible causes include:
Pericarditis may be seen in children who suffer from:
If the child has undergone any form of surgery to the heart or the chest or is being treated with certain cancer medications or immunosuppressive drugs, the risk of developing pericarditis is high as well.
In children, the most common causes of pericarditis include heart surgery, congenital heart defects or infections. Trauma or injury to the chest may also lead to pericarditis.
The symptoms of pericarditis in children may include:
Keep in mind that children may not be able to describe symptoms such as chest pain or breathing difficulties. If your child is experiencing any of the above symptoms, contact your doctor as soon as possible. Early intervention and treatment of pericarditis is essential for complete recovery.
Diagnosis of pericarditis requires a thorough physical examination. When listening to the heart with a stethoscope, the heartbeat will sound muffled and there may be indications of pericardial effusion or fluid in the pericardium. In severe cases, breathing may be labored and there may be signs of fluid in the lungs as well. Apart from a physical examination, other tests used to check the heart include a chest MRI scan, x-rays, echocardiogram, heart CT scan and radionuclide scanning.
In order to determine the cause of the condition or if an infection is responsible, blood tests, tuberculin skin tests, and HIV tests may also be required.
If the cause of the condition is determined, treatment is more focused and successful. For example, if a bacterial infection is causing the pericarditis, antibiotics are prescribed. For fungal infections, antifungal drugs are necessary. In cases where the cause cannot be discerned, anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce the swelling around the heart. These will also help decrease any pain and discomfort caused by the swelling. If symptoms do not disappear after two weeks, a drug knows as colchicine is recommended. Other medications that may help include diuretics to treat water retention and corticosteroids to relieve pain and inflammation.
If the fluid built up around the heart is causing the heart to function poorly, more aggressive forms of treatment may be necessary. These include a procedure known as pericardiocentesis where the extra fluid is drained from the sac by an echocardiography-guided needle. For severe or chronic cases of pericarditis, a surgery known as pericardiectomy may be performed that involves the removal of a part of the pericardium.
Mild cases if treated immediately are usually resolved in a few weeks time. For more severe cases, complications such as heart damage and excess fluid build up may prove fatal. Pericarditis may also recur and become chronic if the symptoms are not treated properly.
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