OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is pericarditis. While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how pericarditis will be characterized on standardized exams (namely the boards and the shelf exams). This page is not meant to be used as a tradition question bank (as all of the answers will be the same), however seeing the classic “test” characterization for a disease is quite valuable.
QUESTION EXAMPLES
Question # 1
A 32 year old woman with lupus is brought to the hospital after she begins to feel chest pain that worsens with respiration. She is visibly distressed and bends over at the waist to decrease the pain. She denies any history of cough, chills, or any fever. Her temperature is 99.2°F, pulse is 102/min, respirations are 20/min, and blood pressure is 118/80 mm Hg. When the chest is auscultated a short diastolic sound is heard. The rest of the physical exam is unremarkable. What is the likely diagnosis?
Explanation: chest pain + pain relieved with leaning forward = pericarditis
Question # 2
A 67 year old female comes to the ER complaining of chest pain. Her past medical history is notable for hypertension, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease. She underwent a CABG procedure 3 weeks ago for 3-vessle disease. She explains that her chest pain is worse when she breathes in, and lessens when she is leaning forward. A friction rub is heard during auscultation. An ECG shows global ST elevation. What is the likely diagnosis in this patient?
Explanation: chest pain + pain relieved with leaning forward + friction rub = pericarditis
Page Updated: 01.22.2017