Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium (the lubricated sac that involves the heart). Pericardial inflammation describes an inflammation of the skin in which the heart is located and constantly moving. This can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi, or by other conditions or even accidents.
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium. This can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi, or by metabolic disorders (e.g. renal dysfunction), malign diseases (e.g. leukaemia) or the body's overreaction to endogenous or extraneous substances (e.g. medication, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus). It can also occur in combination with conditions of neighbouring organs (e.g. heart attack, heart muscle inflammation, aortic aneurysm). Depending on the cause, pericarditis can be separated into dry, fibrinous form and a wet, exudative pericarditis. It is possible that it develops into a chronic pericarditis.
Pericarditis mainly shows in rather unspecific symptoms such as fever and muscle pain. These are accompanied by pain behind the sternum that can spread into the left arm, reminding of symptoms of a heart attack. Many patients observe that the pain decreases when they sit down, lean over or inhale. Chronic pericarditis causes less severe symptoms as an acute pericarditis.
The symptoms described above in addition to characteristic diagnostics from physical examinations as well as changes to inflammation markers of the blood and in most cases also changes of the ECG lead the doctor to his diagnosis. He will also perform an ultrasound examination of the heart to rule out that liquids accumulate inside the pericardium. The first step of therapy is physical rest. All other measures depend on the cause of the pericarditis. Antibiotics for pericarditis caused by bacteria, cortisone or other anti-inflammatory medication for viral or unknown causes are only a few possible treatment options. The prognosis of pericarditis also depends on the cause. Most cases of pericarditis will heal; others develop into a chronic form. Sometimes a re-occurrence of pericarditis is possible.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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