Med. praxi. 2025;22(2):98-103 | DOI: 10.36290/med.2025.020

Acute and recurrent pericarditis - what a general practitioner should know

MUDr. Sabrina Adamíková, prof. MUDr. Jan Krejčí, Ph.D.

I. interní kardioangiologická klinika Fakultní nemocnice u sv. Anny v Brně

Pericarditis is the most common pathological process affecting the pericardium. The diagnosis is based on the fulfillment of two of the four classification criteria. Acute pericarditis may be associated with infectious, systemic, or autoimmune diseases, as well as malignancies or metabolic disorders. The basis of the diagnosis of acute pericarditis is an echocardiographic examination, which can help to exclude other acute cardiac conditions. The most common form in developed countries is idiopathic or post-viral pericarditis, the treatment of which is based on the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine. Corticosteroids are the second line of treatment, and their biggest pitfall is the increased risk of recurrent pericarditis, which occurs in up to 30 % of cases.

Keywords: pericarditis, friction rub, echocardiography, colchicine, nonsteroidal anti­‑inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids.

Received: November 1, 2024; Accepted: March 31, 2025; Published: April 30, 2025  Show citation