Question

A patient is admitted for pericarditis. How will the patient likely describe his pain?

a. Grating substernal pain that is aggravated by inspiration.
b. Sharp pain that radiates down the left arm.
c. Dull ache that feels vaguely like indigestion.
d. Continuous boring pain that is relieved with rest.

Answer 1

Patients with pericarditis typically experience a grating, sharp chest pain that becomes more severe when they breathe in, which distinguishes it from the symptoms of angina or myocardial infarction.

Step-by-step explanation:

A patient with pericarditis is likely to describe their pain as a grating, sharp chest pain that worsens with inspiration (breathing in). Unlike the squeezing or pressing pain experienced in conditions like angina or myocardial infarction (MI), which often radiates to the arm or jaw, pericarditis presents with a localized pain at the sternum that can feel like a dry cough or difficulty breathing. The pain from pericarditis may be confused with less serious conditions like indigestion but is distinct due to its relation to breathing movements and sometimes a fever and a pericardial rub can be heard upon auscultation.