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10th May 2025
Pericarditis
For pericarditis, first line therapy is NSAIDs with the goal of analgesia as well as resolution of inflammation. Indomethacin, or aspirin are commonly used. Patients who respond poorly or slowly to NSAIDs may use Colchicine. It is also effective in preventing recurrence of pericarditis, especially in the 72-hour period. However the current treatment regime recommends a combined therapy of both NSAIDs and colchicine.
| Drugs | Usual Dosing | Treatment duration | Tapering |
| Aspirin | 750mg – 1000mg
every 8 hours |
1-2 weeks | Decrease dose by
250-500mg every 1-2 weeks |
| Ibuprofen | 600mg every 8 hr | 1-2 weeks | Decrease dose by
200-400mg every 1-2 weeks |
| Colchicine | 0.5mg BD if >70kg 0.5mg OD if <70kg | 3 months | Not mandatory,
alternatively 0.5mg every other day if <70kg, or 0.5mg OD if >70kg in the last weeks of treatment |
Table 3: treatment of pericarditis – adapted from European society of cardiology
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