Acute Pericarditis Disease Summary

Overview

Pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardial sac with or without pericardial effusion and accounts for approximately 5% of visits to the emergency room for chest pain without myocardial infarction.

The patient experiences chest pain that is central, sharp, pleuritic, worse with inspiration or lying down and improves with sitting up and leaning forward.

Acute pericarditis is characterized by new-onset pericarditis with at least 2 of the following:

• Pericarditic/pleuritic chest pain
• Pericardial friction rubs
• New or worsening pericardial effusion
• ECG finding of a new diffuse ST-segment elevation and/or PR depression