Symptoms And Treatments For Heart Conditions You Didn't Know Existed

Treatment For Pericarditis

The good news is pericarditis is often mild and goes away with rest. When cases do require treatment, doctors usually start with medication such as pain relievers. Often over-the-counter options work, particularly if they are also classified as an anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen. However, in severe cases, doctors may recommend prescription-strength pain relievers and anti-inflammatories, such as colchicine, or corticosteroids.

If patients experience cardiac tamponade as a complication of pericarditis, they are often hospitalized. Treatments for this case typically includes either pericardiocentesis or pericardiectomy. The former is a procedure in which the surgeon uses a needle or catheter to drain the excess fluid while the patient is under local anesthesia. A pericardiectomy is a procedure where the surgeon will remove the entirety of the pericardium that has become rigid, is recommended for patients with constrictive pericarditis.

Continue reading to learn about the next lesser-known heart condition.