Chest pain from Pericarditis

[ChezzAU]

Approx. 18 months ago I started experiencing chest pain, which became increasingly worse within the hour.  Subsequently, a friend drove me to hospital.  As a result following extensive tests, it was diagnosed as pericarditis.  I had a further episode and went to hospital a few months later, this too was again was diagnosed as pericarditis.  I was prescribed naproxen and colchicine (which I keep on hand in case it flares).

Since then, every few months I continue to experience sharp pain which tends to last for a few days.  I've noticed this pain becomes worse when I breathe in and/or lay flat in bed, and also the location of the pain can shift (e.g. from the centre of my chest, to under one breast etc).  At this very moment the problem has flared and has been an issue for the past 5 days.  I have made a further appointment with my gp.  

My concern and thus my query is:

Is it normal for pericarditis to be so persistent and re-occurring, or could this pain be something else?

Can pericarditis weaken the heart?

[CCFHeartMD19]

That sounds like a plan.

1. Positional refers to change in the character or intensity of pain with changes in position. Pericarditis related pain tends to get better on sitting up.

2. Refractory cases refers to cases that do not respond to typical medical therapy.

3. Pericarditis refers to inflammation of the lining of the heart. We measure markers of inflammation like C-reactive protein in the blood to monitor the severity of pericarditis.

[ChezzAU]

Hi CCF,

Thanks for responding.  If you could please clarify the following in order for me to fully understand your reply?  I could guess the meaning but I'd rather have a more precise definition.

I have an appointment with my gp this week and I intend to ask for a new referral to the heart specialist I saw when I had my first attack.

Thankyou for the offer to visit your clinic,  but I'm in Australia ;)

1/ often positional in nature ?

2/ refractory cases ?

3/ serum markers of inflammation ?

Thanks,
Chezz

[CCFHeartMD19]

Dear ChezzAU

It is hard to give you concrete suggestions over the Internet for a condition like pericarditis,  but I will try to give you  helpful tips.
Pericarditis  refers to inflammation of the lining of the heart and often causes sharp debilitating chest pain which is often positional in nature.
The description of your pain is pretty classic for pericarditis. The course of pericarditis is often recurring,  as is your case.  the treatment of pericarditis involves use of  NSAID's,  colchicine,  and in refractory cases  steroids/prednisone.
I would advise you to seek an opinion from a cardiologist who specializes in the treatment of pericardial disorders. The reason I say that is the fact the treatment of recurrent pericarditis often requires a very gradual taper of  medicines used for this condition along with a close eye on the  serum markers of inflammation.
You  are welcome to seek an opinion at the Cleveland clinic, where we have several cardiologists who specialize in the treatment of pericarditis.

hope that helps
CCFHeartMD19