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Pericarditis: diagnosis, management, and return to play.
Peter H Seidenberg1, James Haynes
1Department of Community and Family Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Belleville, IL 62220, USA. seidenph@slu.edu
Current Sports Medicine Reports
|March 15, 2006
Summary
Athletes with chest pain may have pericarditis, an inflammation of the heart sac. Return to play is allowed only when active disease signs, like fluid buildup, are gone.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Cardiology
- Athletic Training
Background:
- Chest pain in athletes warrants consideration of pericarditis.
- Pericarditis can lead to serious complications like cardiac tamponade and recurrence.
- A common presentation involves recent viral illness followed by chest pain, friction rub, and ECG changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the diagnostic approach to pericarditis in athletes.
- To define criteria for safe return to athletic participation after pericarditis.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical presentation, diagnostic tests, and management guidelines for pericarditis in athletes.
- Recommended diagnostic tests include CBC, ESR/CRP, cardiac enzymes, chest X-ray, and echocardiogram with Doppler.
Main Results:
- Acute pericarditis in athletes is typically self-limited but requires careful monitoring.
- Diagnostic findings include chest pain, friction rub, ECG changes, and elevated inflammatory markers.
- Echocardiography is crucial for detecting pericardial effusion.
Conclusions:
- Athletic activity is contraindicated during acute pericarditis.
- Return to play decisions should be based on objective evidence of disease resolution, including absence of effusion and normalized inflammatory markers.