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Abstract and Introduction
Introduction
Acute pericarditis is an inflammatory process involving the pericardium, a fibroelastic sac containing the heart and the roots of the great blood vessels. In the United States, acute pericarditis accounts for approximately 1 of every 1,000 hospital admissions and 1% of emergency room visits in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation on ECG. A variety of infectious and noninfectious causes may be responsible, including systemic disease. Acute pericarditis is classified as idiopathic if a viral etiology is presumed and no secondary cause (i.e., autoimmune problem, malignancy, drug) can be identified (Table 1 ). Acute pericarditis occurs more often in men than in women, and in more adults than children.
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