Drug May Improve Treatment of Pericarditis

A drug long used for gout may also be an effective first treatment for pericarditis, a study finds. The drug, colchicine, also may help to prevent the condition from coming back. Pericarditis is an inflammation of the lining around the heart. Colchicine (Colcrys) reduces inflammation. However, it usually is not used as a first treatment for pericarditis. The study included 240 people with pericarditis. Everyone received standard treatment with aspirin or ibuprofen for 3 months. People were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group also received colchicine. The other group received look-alike placebo (fake) pills. After treatment, 83% of those who took colchicine improved and didn’t have a return of symptoms. Only 63% of the placebo group had this positive result. The colchicine group also had quicker relief of symptoms. And they were less likely to end up in the hospital.