Can radiation cause pericarditis?
Acute pericarditis is a rare short-term complication of radiotherapy and develops during or days to weeks after irradiation. It can be revealed by asymptomatic pericardial effusion or symptomatic pericarditis.
How can I stop pericarditis pain?
Examples of these medicines are aspirin and ibuprofen. Stronger medicine may be needed if the pain is severe. Your doctor may prescribe a medicine called colchicine and a steroid called prednisone. If a bacterial infection is causing your pericarditis, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic or other medicine.
Can radiation treatment damage the heart?
Radiation can injure the pericardium (the tissue covering the heart), myocardium (the heart muscle itself), the heart valves, coronary arteries and the heart’s electrical system. Some of the problems that may develop are: Pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart)
Should you rest with pericarditis?
It may take from a few days to weeks or even months to recover from pericarditis. With proper and prompt treatment, such as rest and ongoing care, most people fully recover from pericarditis.
Are there any pericardial complications after radiation treatment?
Pericardial complications range from asymptomatic pericardial effusion to constrictive pericarditis. Symptomatic cardiac disease after radiation occurs in approximately 10% of the patients [1]. However, this risk is decreasing with the availability of better conformal radiation techniques for radiation treatment [2].
What are the symptoms of radiation induced heart disease?
Pericardial disease may manifest as asymptomatic pericardial effusion (most common), tamponade and constrictive pericarditis. Acute pericarditis is rare and develops during or after radiation. Signs and symptoms may include fever, chest pain and pericardial rub. Acute pericarditis usually resolves by itself.
What kind of pain is caused by pericarditis?
Substernal or left precordial pleuritic chest pain with radiation to the trapezius ridge (the bottom portion of scapula on the back) is the characteristic pain of pericarditis. The pain is usually relieved by sitting up or bending forward, and worsened by lying down (both recumbent and supine positions) or by inspiration (taking a breath in).
When does the risk of radiation induced myocarditis increase?
Myocarditis and cardiomyopathy: Risk of myocarditis begins to increase after 5 years of radiotherapy. Studies have shown that radiation induced myocardial insufficiency is due to microvascular injury.
