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Pericarditis
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Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that wraps around the heart, and it is the most common condition affecting that structure.
The pericardium is not a single sheet of tissue: it has two layers. The visceral layer sits directly on the epicardium, the outer surface of the heart. The parietal layer is the other one, and it has a feature that explains almost everything: it is heavily innervated, meaning it is full of nerve endings. Between the two lies a space that normally holds 15 to 50 milliliters of serous fluid.
That is where the symptom that points to pericarditis comes from. Because the parietal layer is so sensitive, the inflammation hurts, and more than 90% of people with pericarditis come in with chest discomfort. The pain comes from the sac that wraps around the outside of the heart.
In brief
Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardial sac surrounding the heart and the most common condition affecting the pericardium.
The pericardium has two layers, a visceral layer over the epicardium and a heavily innervated parietal layer, separated by a space that normally holds 15 to 50 milliliters of serous fluid.
Because that parietal layer is so richly innervated, more than 90% of cases present with chest discomfort.
The pain comes from the sac that wraps around the outside of the heart.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingPericarditis, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated