COVID-19 can trigger pericarditis, a type of heart inflammation, but this is quite rare. Symptoms include chest pain that comes on quickly or worsens when you breathe deeply or lie down.

Pericarditis occurs when the fluid-filled sac surrounding the heart becomes inflamed. This sac, called the pericardium, helps protect and hold the heart in place.

Pericarditis can be acute or recurrent. Recurrent pericarditis is when you have symptoms after at least 4 weeks without them, and it’s caused by an autoimmune response.

Acute pericarditis, on the other hand, refers to the first episode, which lasts 4 to 6 weeks or less. There are other types of pericarditis as well, and the cause can be unknown (idiopathic). One known cause is a viral infection.

SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is one of the viruses that can trigger pericarditis. Keep reading to learn more.

In rare circumstances, it’s possible for COVID-19 to cause pericarditis. This usually occurs by:

  • direct infection of heart tissue or the pericardium
  • the effects of the body’s immune response to the coronavirus
  • both of the above causes

Sometimes, pericarditis can occur with myocarditis, which is another type of heart inflammation of the heart muscle itself, in people with COVID-19. This is called myopericarditis or perimyocarditis, depending on which one predominates.

Cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reportedTrusted Source for all variants of the coronavirus so far.

However, information on COVID-19-associated pericarditis and its incidence is lacking compared with myocarditis.

For reference, a 2021 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that myocarditis occurred in 150 per 100,000 peopleTrusted Source with COVID-19 compared with 9 per 100,000 people without COVID-19 from March 2020 to January 2021.

A 2023 reviewTrusted Source of research notes that symptoms of COVID-19-associated pericarditis are similar to those of other forms of viral pericarditis.

The symptoms of pericarditis include:

When to seek medical help

Pericarditis can feel like a heart attack. If you have chest pain, especially if it comes on suddenly and doesn’t go away, seek immediate medical attention or call 911.

Pericarditis can happen while you’re sick with COVID-19 or after you recover.

One 2021 review reports that a diagnosis of pericarditis occurred anywhere from 5–56 days after a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Some studies published in 2021Trusted Source, 2022Trusted Source, and 2023Trusted Source have also reported pericarditis as a finding in people with long COVID.

Long COVID is a collection of health problems that persist in the weeks, months, or years after you recover from COVID-19.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteTrusted Source, pericarditis most often affects:

  • young adults, although middle-aged adults, are also commonly affected
  • males, with frequent reports occurring in males under age 50Trusted Source
  • people with certain rare genetic conditions

Having risk factors doesn’t mean you’ll definitely get pericarditis. Instead, it means you have an increased risk compared with people who don’t have risk factors.

Rest and medications that reduce pain and inflammation are typical treatments for pericarditis.

The medications a doctor may prescribe for pericarditis include:

If the COVID-19-associated pericarditis returns (recurrent pericarditis), then your doctor may prescribeTrusted Source IL-1 inhibitors to treat the condition and help reduce the chance of future recurrences.

ARCALYST (rilonacept) is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapTrusted Sourcey for the treatment of recurrent pericarditis and reduction in risk of recurrence in adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older.

According to studies from 2021 and 2022Trusted Source, the same types of medication can often treat COVID-19-associated pericarditis.

Can a COVID-19 vaccine trigger pericarditis?

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines rarelyTrusted Source trigger pericarditis. In fact, the chances of myocarditis or pericarditis in people ages 5 to 39 after getting vaccinated are:

  • 1 in 200,000 after the first dose
  • 1 in 30,000 after the second dose
  • 1 in 50,000 after the first booster dose

When it happens, it may be relatedTrusted Source to the immune response to the vaccine in some people, and it is most likely to happen within a week of vaccination. According to the CDCTrusted Source, adolescent and young adult males are most likely affected.

The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risks

Overall, the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risks of pericarditis.

In fact, researchersTrusted Source have found you’re actually more likelyTrusted Source to develop pericarditis after getting COVID-19 than after getting vaccinated.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19 heart damage?

Besides pericarditis and myocarditis, COVID-19 can affect the heart by leading to infection, inflammation, low oxygen levels, blood clots, and stress cardiomyopathy. Depending on the specific damage, symptoms may include abnormal heartbeat, shortness of breath, swelling, and more.

How long after COVID-19 do you get myocarditis?

Myocarditis typically develops within about a year of having COVID-19.

Can COVID-19 make PVC worse?

COVID-19 can triggerTrusted Source heart problems like premature ventricular contractions (PVC) and could, therefore, theoretically, make any existing problems worse.

COVID-19 can trigger pericarditis in some people. However, it’s not very common. The symptoms of COVID-19-associated pericarditis are similar to those of pericarditis caused by other viruses.

While pericarditis can affect anyone, the people who most often develop it are younger and male. Rest and medications can typically treat it and ease inflammation and pain.

In rare cases, COVID-19 mRNA vaccines may trigger pericarditis. However, it’s more likely that you’ll develop pericarditis from COVID-19 than from COVID-19 vaccination. Overall, the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines outweigh their risks.