Pericarditis treatment
More Information Pericarditis care at Mayo Clinic Chest X-rays CT scan Show more related information Treatment Treatment for pericarditis depends on the cause and the severity of the symptoms. Mild pericarditis may get better without treatment. Medications Medications to reduce the inflammation and swelling are often prescribed. Examples include: Pain relievers. Pericarditis pain can usually be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Prescription-strength pain relievers also may be used. Colchicine (Colcrys, Mitigare). This drug reduces inflammation in the body. It's used to treat acute pericarditis or if symptoms tend to come back. You should not take this drug if you have liver or kidney disease. Colchicine can also interfere with other drugs. Your health care provider will carefully check your health history before prescribing colchicine. Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are strong medications that fight inflammation. A corticosteroid such as prednisone may be prescribed if pericarditis symptoms don't get better with other medications, or if symptoms keep returning. If pericarditis is caused by a bacterial infection, treatment may include antibiotics and drainage, if necessary. Surgeries or other procedures If pericarditis causes fluid buildup around the heart, a surgery or other procedure may be needed to drain the fluid. Surgeries or other procedures to treat pericarditis include: Pericardiocentesis. In this procedure, a sterile needle or a small tube (catheter) is used to remove and drain the excess fluid from the pericardial cavity. Removal of the pericardium (pericardiectomy). The entire pericardium may need to be removed if the sac surrounding the heart is permanently rigid due to constrictive pericarditis