Carly Pearce, Grammy-winning country music singer/songwriter, living with recurrent pericarditis
Pericarditis Terms: Types, causes, and features
There are many terms that healthcare professionals use to describe pericarditis types, causes, and features. It may be useful to have some familiarity with them when discussing a management plan with your doctor.
- Acute pericarditis flare: An episode of pericarditis which may present with symptoms such as sharp chest pain.
- First episode of pericarditis: The first flare, which often goes away after a few weeks either on its own or after treatment.
- Recurrent pericarditis (RP): When another flare happens more than 4 weeks after first flare goes away. Recurrent pericarditis can be a chronic disease, meaning that it may last for many years.
- Incessant pericarditis: Pericarditis lasting for more than 4 to 6 weeks but less than 3 months without going away.
- Chronic pericarditis: Pericarditis lasting for more than 3 months.
- Autoimmune pericarditis: Pericarditis caused by autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Constrictive pericarditis: The pericardium (sac surrounding the heart) becomes stiff and scarred, reducing its ability to fill and pump blood properly.
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathies: The myocardium (muscular layer of heart) becomes stiff, reducing the hearts ability to fill properly.
- Uremic pericarditis: Severe kidney failure causes the pericardium to become inflamed.
- Viral pericarditis: Inflammation of the pericardium caused by a viral infection—it can lead to recurrent or chronic pericarditis.
Last updated: 04/30/25
The content on this page has been written and approved by Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals.