Acute Pericarditis Hours After Uncomplicated Diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization

Background: Early postprocedural pericarditis has been reported after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and post-PCI chest pain is common.However, acute pericarditis developing within hours of an uncomplicated diagnostic cardiac catheterization without coronary intervention is rare.Case Report: A 67-year-old female undergoing preoperative evaluation for neurosurgery underwent inpatient diagnostic coronary angiography for cardiac risk stratification.Approximately 4 hours after an uncomplicated diagnostic catheterization without PCI, she developed acute pleuritic, positional substernal chest pain.Serial electrocardiograms lacked typical diffuse ST-segment elevation or PR-segment depression.Troponin I was mildly elevated and trended downward without ischemic evolution.Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a small new pericardial effusion, supporting the diagnosis of acute pericarditis.Heparin had been initiated because of concern for acute coronary syndrome but was discontinued, and the patient was treated with ibuprofen and colchicine with rapid symptomatic improvement.She was discharged home in stable condition with outpatient follow-up.Conclusion: Acute pericarditis can occur after diagnostic cardiac catheterization without coronary intervention or a documented procedural complication.In patients with postcatheterization chest pain, characteristic clinical features and echocardiography can help distinguish acute pericarditis from acute coronary syndrome and guide prompt anti-inflammatory therapy.