Two types of pericarditis can occur after a heart attack. Early
pericarditis most often occurs within 1 to 3 days after a heart
attack. When the body tries to clean up the diseased heart
tissue, swelling and inflammation occur. Late pericarditis is
also called Dressler syndrome (or post-cardiac injury syndrome
or postcardiotomy pericarditis). It usually occurs several weeks
or months after a heart attack, heart surgery, or other trauma
to the heart. However, it may happen a week after a heart
injury. Dressler syndrome is believed to be caused by the immune
system mistakenly attacking healthy heart tissue. You have a
higher risk of pericarditis if you have had a previous heart
attack, open heart surgery, or chest trauma, or if your heat
attack affected the thickness of your heart muscle. Splinting of
ribs (bending over or holding the chest) with deep breathing
Signs and tests The health care provider will use a stethoscope
to listen to your heart and lungs. There may be a rubbing sound
(called a pericardial fr