Causes of Pericarditis
Many medical conditions can lead to pericarditis. These include kidney failure, cancer, chest trauma, autoimmune disorders, heart attack, and infections. Any forms of infections can increase the risk, including fungal infections, bacterial infections, viral infections, and tuberculosis. People with HIV/AIDS often experience infections that cause pericarditis. In some cases, this health issue would happen within 1 to 3 days after a heart attack. A special type of pericarditis known as Dressler’s syndrome can even happen weeks or months after a heart problem. Another possible cause is the use of certain medications like isoniazid, phenytoin, hydralazine, and procainamide. When the cause cannot be found, it is called idiopathic pericarditis. [2]
