Pericarditis

Abstract

Background: Pericarditis is an important diagnosis to consider, along with various other differential diagnoses, in a patient who presents with chest pain. Objective: This article describes in detail the common features, management and complications of pericarditis in the general practice setting. Discussion: Characteristic clinical findings in pericarditis include pleuritic chest pain and pericardial friction rub on auscultation of the left lower sternal border. Electrocardiography may reveal diffuse PR-segment depressions and diffuse ST-segment elevations with upward concavity. The most common aetiologies of pericarditis are idiopathic and viral, and the most common treatment for these are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine. The complications of pericarditis include pericardial effusion, tamponade and myopericarditis. The presence of effusion, constriction or tamponade can be confirmed on echocardiography. Tamponade is potentially life-threatening and is diagnosed by the clinical findings of decreased blood pressure, elevated jugular venous pressure, muffled heart sounds on auscultation and pulsus paradoxus. Case: AP is a male, aged 20 years, who presents to your practice with chest pains that commenced the preceding night, now exceeding 12 hours in duration.