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Acute%20pericarditis Signs and Symptoms
Introduction
- Pericardial syndromes include diseases of the pericardium with characteristic manifestations that can be formed into “syndromes”
- Include pericarditis, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade and constrictive pericarditis
Definition
- Pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardial sac with or without pericardial effusion
- Accounts for 5% of visits to the emergency room for chest pain without myocardial infarction
Etiology
- Cause in 80% of cases is either postviral or idiopathic in developed countries while tuberculosis (TB) is the most common cause in developing countries where it is endemic
- Viral causes include echovirus, coxsackievirus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes virus, adenovirus
Signs and Symptoms
- Chest pain is sharp, pleuritic, worse with inspiration or lying down and improves with sitting up and leaning forward; pain may also radiate to the trapezius ridge
Risk Factors
- In the general admitted population, at higher risk for pericarditis are men 16-65 years of age than women
