If you are a patient, once you know the basics about our disease, you may find that knowledge gleaned from professional papers can help further inform your recovery plan. You may even want to print some of these for your doctor if you find that your treatment plan varies greatly from what is favored worldwide by top researchers.

Doctors, here is most of what you need to get a handle on everything from garden-variety one-off cases to the complicated chronic zebras. But before you dig in, we’d love it if you read this:
https://medium.com/@melindacrow/dear-doctor-what-pericarditis-patients-wish-you-knew-e7d84cb6af27

Dr. Klein’s “Complicated Pericarditis”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109716353207

General Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines

http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/ccjm/may2007/saltzman.htm 

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/acute-pericarditis-treatment-and-prognosis

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3011134/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5709055/

https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/cardiovascular-disorders/myocarditis-and-pericarditis/pericarditis

https://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/1101/p1695.html

http://www.anmco.it/uploads/u_cms/media/2016/1/780cacd4d8807758ecce60768d5c843e.pdf

https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/ten-points-to-remember/2015/10/30/12/01/2015-esc-guidelines-for-the-diagnosis-and-management-of-pericardial-diseases

https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/36/42/2921/2293375 

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.066365

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/156951-treatment

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2878263/

https://www.escardio.org/Journals/E-Journal-of-Cardiology-Practice/Volume-15/Management-of-acute-pericarditis-treatment-and-follow-up

https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/acute-pericarditis-treatment-update-on-colchicine

Recurrent, Chronic or Constrictive Cases

https://www.dovepress.com/recurrent-pericarditis–current-challenges-and-future-prospects-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RRCC

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5408622/ 

https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/hospital-medicine/constrictive-pericarditis/article/599144/

https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2015/09/09/12/19/transient-constrictive-pericarditis

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.CIR.0000019421.07529.C5

Pregnancy Concerns

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2217/WHE.12.9 

Cancer Connection

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/882945

Pericardiectomy

https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2015/09/09/12/19/transient-constrictive-pericarditis

https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2018/04/11/11/01/robotic-assisted-pericardiectomy-for-constrictive-pericarditis

https://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S0003-4975(12)01046-6/fulltext

Everyone’s medication plan is different, based on what your doctor prefers and what he/she knows about your history. These are a handful of the basic meds prescribed for pericarditis. 

Ibuprofen

https://www.rxlist.com/ibuprofen-drug.htm

Aspirin

https://www.medicinenet.com/acetylsalicylic_acid/article.htm

Indomethacin

https://www.rxlist.com/indocin-side-effects-drug-center.htm

Colchicine

https://www.colcrys.com/resources/patient-support

https://www.rxlist.com/mitigare-drug.htm

Corticosteroids

https://www.healthline.com/health/prednisone-oral-tablet 

https://www.rxlist.com/prednisolone-drug.htm

Methotrexate

https://www.rxlist.com/consumer_methotrexate_trexall/drugs-condition.htm

Imuran/azathioprine

https://www.rxlist.com/imuran-drug.htm

Kineret/anakinra

https://www.kineretrx.com/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/new-medicines-may-bring-a-halt-to-your-recurrent-pericarditis/ 

There are mixed thoughts on changing your diet to improve the outcome of pericarditis. The links below are a starting point for healthy eating plans that may help in the long run. 

DASH Diet

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dash-diet

Mediterranean Diet

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan

Anti-inflammatory Diet

https://www.verywellhealth.com/anti-inflammatory-diet-88752

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-101

I once had a doctor tell me to think of my inflamed heart like a sprained ankle or knee. You would not hesitate to let that rest, because every step would increase the inflammation and pain in your joint. Exercise increases the rate at which your heart beats, and therefore the number of times per minute that your pericardium is irritated. You may or may not feel pain with each beat like you would with walking on a sprain, but over the course of a day, the irritation builds, leaving you with increased pain tomorrow. 

You have probably learned by now that many of the experts recommend keeping your heart rate below 100 while still symptomatic, but if physical activity is an important part of your life, you may find these alternatives to cardio-centric exercise fit into your lifestyle as you begin to recover. 

Chair Yoga

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/chair-yoga-for-seniors#1

https://www.doyouyoga.com/6-benefits-of-chair-yoga-8-poses-to-get-you-started/

Tai chi

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/tai-chi/art-20045184

Slow weight training

https://www.webmd.com/men/features/want-more-strength-slow-down#1

https://www.verywellmind.com/top-stress-reliever-hobbies-3144592

https://www.buzzfeed.com/augustafalletta/hell-yeah-hobbies-for-adults?utm_term=.wmqk2r0GYW#.mvzj9ZvegM

Sometimes all you need is to hear other people’s stories to put your mind at ease. That is what you will find in these two FB groups. 

Physicians welcome! We hope you might learn a few things from reading our posts. 

Facebook Support Groups

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pericarditis/

For those who are contemplating or have had pericardiectomy surgery: 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1755692848029608/