Pericarditis and heart problems ?

Pericarditis can be a rare complication of chest trauma. It's basically inflammation of the the sac which surrounds the heart. This will not increase your risk of a heart attack. Although there are other causes of heart attacks, MIs generally occur in older people who have CAD.

The possible risks with Pericarditis are a build up of fluid between the layers of the pericardium, which is called pericardial effusion. Now a small amount is of no consequence, however if there is a large build up of fluid, this can put pressure on the heart and affect the way the heart chambers fill, thus affecting the pumping action of the heart. This is called cardiac tamponade and is very serious. It's a very rare complication, - I can't stress this enough.

Another problem is that over time, the pericardium may thicken due to inflammation and it can squeeze and contract around the heart, which can affect heart function. If either of these rare situations occurred, you'd be quite symptomatic with breathlessness, etc. A normal ECG is reassuring, but you do need a work up and your GP will need to decide whether or not any treatment is needed.

Young men are particularly prone to Costochondritis, it could simply be that or pain from your initial chest trauma.

EDIT:

The poster below does not really know what he is talking about. Trauma to the chest can be a rare cause of pericarditis, athough one would more expect to see it around the time of injury and usually resolves quite quickly. Your Doctor was right to consider this. It must be excluded. Ignore the guy below.

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Neither costochondritis nor a fractured sternum leads to pericarditis. If you had pericarditis it would have been clearly evident on the electrocardiogram. Prolonged chest pain after a fractured sternum is not that uncommon. A blow hard enough to cause a fractured sternum may lead to contusion of the lungs or the heart muscle itself. It may also lead to a pericardial effusion which is not the same thing as pericarditis and pericardial effusion is not likely to be detected by an electrocardiogram. I would suggest that you ask your physician for a referral for a second opinion as this has been going on for too long a period of time. I wish you the very best of health and in all thins may God bless.

Ouch sounds painful!

Cardiologist review all the way mate.

Everybody is at risk of having a heart attack I am afraid.

Pericarditis might make your heart sac fill up with fluid after which your heart has more trouble beating, this could end up in a disastrous emergency. Your doc should have told you what signs and symptoms you should look out for when he so diligently diagnosed you with having 'possibly' pericarditis!!

If you are worried, have this same doc who diagnosed you explain exactly what the condition(s) entail, what they put you at risk for and what the treatment is.

Good luck.

surely, Papeversomniferum, you would be shocked at who's sorting out this talk board of their unfastened time...as far by using fact the question is in touch, the 1st answer is a great one. wait for an echo and notice what happens. substantial questions would be to verify there isn't any continual pericardial effusion and that genuine atrium is okay. genuine atrial expansion may well be miscalled each so often, observing the lead placement. relax slightly and wait for the echo. stable success!

I think you need to get a definitive diagnosis before you start panicking. Your GP should refer you to a cardiologist. But to put your mind at rest, the pericardium is the sac that surrounds the heart. It doesn't usually affect to function of the heart