Carly Pearce, Grammy-winning country music singer/songwriter, living with recurrent pericarditis
What causes pericarditis?
A first-time episode of pericarditis can be caused by:
Unidentified: Most first or one-time episodes of pericarditis are idiopathic, which means “unknown”
Heart attack and heart procedures
Infection from a virus, bacteria, fungus, or parasite
Certain medications, such as blood thinners or those for seizures or irregular heartbeat
Injury to the pericardium, such as from an accident, radiation, or chemotherapy
Other illnesses, especially autoimmune disorders such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
Learn about the different types, causes, and features of pericarditis.
Recurrent pericarditis
Recurrent pericarditis is caused by the immune system attacking the pericardium. Each episode (also called a flare) causes inflammation that leads to more inflammation in an ongoing cycle.
Just like it sounds, recurrent pericarditis is when a pericarditis flare happens again.
A diagnosis of recurrent pericarditis is made when an additional episode happens 4 or more weeks after the first one has gone away.
Can stress cause pericarditis?
While stress and anxiety are not known causes of pericarditis, it’s important to manage, as many patients experience stress in between episodes of pericarditis.
Last updated: 04/30/25
The content on this page has been written and approved by Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals.