MY APPROACH to Patients With Acute Pericarditis

When approaching patients with suspected acute pericarditis, I first ask myself, “Is the history convincing and has the diagnosis been objectively confirmed?” Virtually all patients present with pleuritic chest pain, but this can be caused by many diseases. In addition to its pleuritic nature, other key features of pericardial pain include relief with sitting up and radiation to the trapezius ridge. The latter is virtually pathognomonic for pericarditis. Objective confirmation consists of auscultation of a pericardial friction rub, an ECG showing a classic pattern of ST-segment elevation, and detection of a pericardial effusion, even if small.
Source: Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research