Post-Cardiac Injury Syndrome: A Paradigm Shift in Diagnosis and Management

Post-cardiac injury syndrome (PCIS) refers to a group of inflammatory pericardial syndromes that arise after cardiac injury, encompassing post-myocardial infarction syndrome, post-pericardiotomy syndrome, and post-traumatic pericarditis. PCIS has evolved significantly over recent years, transitioning from a rare post-myocardial infarction syndrome to a more common phenomenon stemming from the rise of both surgical and transcatheter cardiac procedures. The increasing prevalence of these procedures makes understanding and managing PCIS an important clinical consideration. Additionally, in rare instances of post-MI pericarditis, balancing the reduction of inflammation while maintaining structural cardiac integrity for healing presents unique therapeutic challenges. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of PCIS, focusing on its most common manifestations, key imaging modalities for diagnosis, and novel therapeutic strategies.