Break down the barriers of recurrent pericarditis
Learn about the disease, what causes repeat episodes, and how reducing the risk of future flares is possible with ARCALYST.
Break down the barriers of recurrent pericarditis
Learn about the disease, what causes repeat episodes, and how reducing the risk of future flares is possible with ARCALYST.
What is pericarditis?
Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium.
The pericardium is a fluid-filled sac that wraps around the heart and expands and contracts as it beats.
Think of the pericardium as a water balloon that protects the heart by cushioning it from other organs in the chest, such as the lungs, the diaphragm (breathing muscle), and the trachea (windpipe).
When the pericardium is inflated, it becomes thicker than usual. This causes the heart to rub against the pericardium, which causes chest pain and other symptoms.
This event is called pericarditis and is commonly described as an episode or a flare.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom of pericarditis is chest pain that feels worse when breathing in or lying down.
Other symptoms may include:
Chest pain that moves from one area of the body to another (back, neck, or shoulder pain)
Swelling in the abdomen, legs, or feet
Shortness of breath when lying down
Overall sense of weakness and fatigue
Cough
Heart palpitations
Low-grade fever
Anxiety
The types of pericarditis
There are different types of pericarditis, depending on the severity of symptoms and how long they last.
Pericarditis
A single episode (or flare) that will often go away completely after treatment or resolve on its own.
Recurrent pericarditis
An episode (or flare) that occurs at least 4 to 6 weeks after the initial episode and can be followed by additional episodes.
BY THE NUMBERS
1 out of 3
people with acute pericarditis may
experience recurrent pericarditis.
Up to 30% of people with acute pericarditis will experience another episode within 18 months, totaling about 40,000 people with recurrent pericarditis in the United States.
Recurrent pericarditis can
last for many years.
In a study of over 900 people, researchers found that the median duration of disease was:
- 6 months for people who had experienced 1 recurrent episode
- About 3 years for people who had experienced 2 or more recurrent episodes
WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
Recurrent pericarditis may be driven by uncontrolled neuroinflammation.
What is autoinflammation? Just like it sounds:
So “autoinflammation” is an abnormal form of
inflammation that happens automatically or continuously
due to a process within the body, not from external causes.
The cycle of autoinflammation
Recurring flares may be driven by interleukin-1 (IL-1), a protein
produced by your body that causes a continuous cycle of
autoinflammation in the pericardium.
Commonly prescribed pericarditis therapies—including NSAIDs, colchicine,
and steroids—do not target IL-1.
WHY ARCALYST?
The only FDA-approved therapy indicated to treat recurrent pericarditis and reduce the risk of future flares.
ARCALYST specifically blocks IL-1 to address the underlying cause of autoinflammation in recurrent pericarditis and help stop the ongoing cycle of flares.
If you continue to experience recurrences despite treatment and management approaches you have tried with your healthcare provider, ARCALYST may be a treatment for you.
