Diseases of the pericardium

Overview

Overview | Pericarditis causes

Differential Diagnosis for Diseases of the Pericardium

Pericarditis differential diagnosis | Acute Pericarditis | Chronic Pericarditis

Clinical presentation

Chest pain, radiating to the back and relieved by sitting up forward and worsened by lying down, is the classical presentation. Other symptoms of pericarditis may include dry cough, fever, fatigue and anxiety. Pericarditis can be misdiagnosed as myocardial infarction, and vice versa.

The classic sign of pericarditis is a friction rub. Other signs include ST-elevation and PR-depression on EKG (all leads); cardiac tamponade (pulsus paradoxus with hypotension), and congestive heart failure (elevated jugular venous pressure with peripheral edema).

History and Symptoms | Physical Examination | Laboratory Findings