Pericarditis; post-MI
Alternative names:
Dressler's syndrome; post-cardiac injury syndrome; post-MI pericarditis; postcardiotomy pericarditis
Symptoms:
- chest pain, pleuritic or ischemic type
- may come and go (recurrence)
- pain radiates to the neck, shoulder, back or abdomen
- described as sharp and stabbing (pleuritic)
- or described as tight and crushing (ischemic)
- chest pain may increase with breathing
- splinting of ribs (bending over or holding the chest) with deep breathing
- upright, standing, or sitting position may relieve pain
- difficulty breathing
- dry cough
- anxiety
- fatigue
- fever
- malaise (general ill feeling)
Signs and tests:
Listening to the chest with a stethoscope (auscultation) commonly reveals a pericardial rubbing sound, and heart sounds may be weak or distant. Collections of fluid in the space around the lungs (pleural effusion) or in the pericardial sac (pericardial effusions) are not common after acute MI. They do occur with chronic post-MI pericarditis (Dressler's syndrome).
Tests may include:
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