Dressler's syndrome | |
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Classification and external resources | |
ICD-10 | I24.1 |
ICD-9 | 411.0 |
DiseasesDB | 3947 |
Dressler's syndrome is a secondary form of pericarditis that occurs in the setting of injury to the heart or the pericardium (the outer lining of the heart). It consists of a triad of features, fever, pleuritic pain and pericardial effusion.
Dressler's syndrome is also known as postmyocardial infarction syndrome[1] and the term is sometimes used to refer to post-pericardiotomy pericarditis.
It was first characterized by William Dressler in 1956.[2][3][4]
It should not be confused with the Dressler's syndrome of haemoglobinuria named for Lucas Dressler, who characterized it in 1854.[5][6]
Contents |
Dressler's syndrome is largely a self limiting disease that very rarely leads to pericardial tamponade. The syndrome consists of a persistent low-grade fever, chest pain (usually pleuritic in nature), a pericardial friction rub, and /or a pericardial effusion. The symptoms tend to occur 2 weeks post myocardial infarction, but can be delayed for a few months after infarction. It tends to subside in a few days. An elevated ESR is an objective laboratory finding.
It is believed to result from an autoimmune inflammatory reaction to myocardial neo-antigens formed as a result of the MI. A similar pericarditis can be associated with any pericardiotomy or trauma to the percardium or heart surgery.
In the setting of myocardial infarction, Dressler's syndrome occurs in about 7% of cases,[7] and typically occurs 2-3 weeks post-myocardial infarction[8]. Dressler's syndome is also known as post-myocardial infarction syndrome, post-cardiac injury syndrome and postpericardiotomy syndrome. Dressler's syndrome needs to be differentiated from pulmonary embolism, another identifiable cause of pleuritic (and non-pleuritic) chest pain in people who have been hospitalized and/or undergone surgical procedures within the preceding weeks.
Dressler's syndrome is typically treated with NSAIDs such as aspirin or with corticosteroids.[9] However corticosteroids are reserved for rare cases and are seldom required.
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