Country Star Shares Her Battle with Pericarditis: ‘You Only Get One Heart’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Country singer Carly Pearce is opening up about her heart problem — pericarditis.
“I had a really debilitating chest pain that was only relieved if I bent over like this (leaning forward), and that’s a classic symptom of pericarditis,” she explained on the TODAY show recently. “And then when you lay back, it gets way worse because that wall is kind of inflamed around your heart.”
Pearce experiences inflammation of the pericardium, a structure that surrounds the heart, holding it in place and protecting it from infections.
“I just had a really intense shortness of breath…almost having to suck through…a straw,” she said.
Last Thursday, she attended the American Heart Association’s Red Dress Collection 2025 event at Lincoln Center in New York, because she wants to spread awareness about her condition.
READ MORE: WATCH: DOLLY PARTON SHOCKS CARLY PEARCE WITH INVITATION
The singer has lived with her condition for almost five years now.
“I’m doing better. I’m healthy, I’m trying to find my new normal,” Pearce said. “I have what’s called recurrent pericarditis. I’ve had several flares since 2020.”
“With a busy schedule, I just have to maintain balance more,” she continued. “Maybe not going a thousand percent when I’m running, or maybe walking on a day that I feel a little bit less myself…Just trying to figure out ways to keep my mind and my body just more calm. You only get one heart.”
Pearce’s father survived a “Widowmaker” heart attack when she was 19 years old.
“I’ve really leaned on him just for help through the anxiety that comes with, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m having a chest pain, am I OK, am I OK?'” the “I Hope You’re Happy Now” singer said. “It’s been really helpful to have somebody in your family that can really help you through those things.”
Last September, Pearce told PEOPLE, “I’m doing a lot better,” she revealed. “Still on medicine, just taking it one day at a time, but doing better!”
She hopes that everyone is aware of their body’s responses.
“I hope that my story has at least made people…if you have that little tinge that maybe your gut’s telling you something’s wrong, go get that checked because you can be healthy…think you’re doing all the right things, and things can happen,” she said.
Pearce first revealed her diagnosis last year.
“Hey ya’ll I have always been transparent and honest about every part of my life, so I feel like this deserves the same honesty,” Pearce said on Instagram. “You guys know that I’ve been dealing with some health issues and through that I have developed something called pericarditis, which is a heart issue.”
“I’ve been working with doctors and talking to my cardiologist, and I still want to be out on the road; it’s really important to me, but we have all decided that it is in my best interest as I am healing to alter my shows a little bit,” she said. “If my shows look a little bit different, just know it’s because I have to keep my heart rate under control right now and that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be completely fine, it just means right now I’ve got to really take this seriously.”
She later shared an update:
“It’s been a month since this crazy heart stuff happened & have learned a few things I felt like sharing. 1) you don’t have to over exercise every single day to feel good 2) medication sucks! 3) walking is a great form of mental & physical exercise 4) mindset is everything 5) change is hard but can be a really good thing For those of you asking- I’m getting better every day & feeling more like myself! I’ll be running around like my usual self before you know it.”
[T]hanks for all of the prayers. I have felt them every single day.”
READ MORE: COUNTRY SINGER CARLY PEARCE SAYS GOD’S GRACE COMFORTED HER AT HER LOWEST POINT
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