see also: [[STEMI mimics#Pericarditis|pericarditis ECG]], [[Myocarditis]]
> [!Key Points]
> - no troponin leak ; if trop leak and persistent tach, think *myopericarditis*
- sharp chest pain
- radiates to neck
- dysphagia
- better on sitting up
- +/- low grade temp
- diffuse [[STEMI mimics#Pericarditis|STE]]
classic to have friction rub
# ECG stages
> - **Stage 1** – widespread STE and PR depression with reciprocal changes in aVR (occurs during the first two weeks)
> - **Stage 2** – normalisation of ST changes; generalised T wave flattening (1 to 3 weeks)
> - **Stage 3** – flattened T waves become inverted (3 to several weeks)
> - **Stage 4** – ECG returns to normal (several weeks onwards)
# pericarditis vs STEMI
# Causes
- *viral most common* - 80%
- coxsackie B (sometimes A)
- enteroviruses
- adenovirus
- parvo B19
- EBV
- varicella
- [[HIV]]
- flu
- mumps
- lyme disease
- Hep B
- bacterial
- usually S aureus , especially among [[Aboriginal health|indiginous australians]]
- pneumococci
- salmonella
- post-MI (Dressler syndrome) -- autoimmune pericarditis post MI late complication 2 weeks after
- *very common post cardiac surgery* ~ 20% of cases !
- radiation
- *uraemia*
- connective tissue / SLE
- rheumatoid arthritis common
- malignancy
- especially lung, breast, lymphoma, leukemia, melanoma
- myocarditis
- [[Rheumatic fever]]
- viral
- granulomatous
- *normal pregnancy*
- asymptomatic pericardial effusion in healthy pregnancy 20% second trimester, 45% third trimester
- also common post IVF stimulation or embryo transfer
- [[Rash#serum sickness]]
| category | examples |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------- |
| infective | coxsakie B, S aureus (indiginous) |
| iatrogenic | radiation-induced, post cardiac surgery |
| inflammatory | [[Rheumatic fever]], myocarditis |
| auto-immune | SLE, Dressler's syndrome (2 weeks later) |
| other | uraemia, malignancy, idiopathic |
# treatment
- NSAIDS
- ECHO (exclude effusion)
- tx underlying cause