Pericarditis Specialists in Karnataka

What is Pericarditis?

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, the thin double-layered sac that surrounds and protects the heart, most often causing sharp chest pain that characteristically worsens with lying down or deep breathing and improves when sitting forward. It can occur as an isolated acute episode, frequently following a viral infection, or become recurrent or chronic in some individuals. The inflammation can sometimes cause fluid to accumulate between the layers of the pericardium, known as a pericardial effusion, which in significant amounts can impair the heart's ability to fill and pump blood effectively. Most cases of acute pericarditis are mild and resolve within a few weeks with appropriate anti-inflammatory treatment. Rarely, pericarditis can lead to serious complications such as cardiac tamponade or constrictive pericarditis, which require urgent specialist intervention.