Causes and Risks Bacterial infections are one cause of pericarditis . Since the advent of antibiotics, bacterial pericarditis has become relatively rare, affecting approximately 5 out of 100,000 people. It most often occurs in men between the ages of 20 and 50, usually after some type of respiratory infection. It also occurs after skin or oral infections that produce bacteremia, or after heart surgery. The bacterial infection causes inflammation and swelling of the pericardium.
Pain occurs as a result of the inflamed pericardium rubbing against the heart.
Fluid may accumulate in the pericardial sac. Please read it.