Pericarditis & Cardiac Tamponade

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardial sac, classically causing sharp, pleuritic chest pain that worsens with lying flat or deep inspiration and improves when the patient leans forward — a distinguishing feature from cardiac ischemic pain, which isn't typically positional. A pericardial friction rub (a scratchy, high-pitched sound heard best at the left sternal border) is a classic exam finding, and treatment for uncomplicated pericarditis typically centers on NSAIDs and, for recurrent cases, colchicine, alongside treating any underlying cause (infection, autoimmune disease, post-MI).