Provide a valuable resource to your clients or customers by linking to this resource page. Just place the following link on your website.
Dressler's syndrome is a condition that can happen after a heart attack or heart surgery. It is a type of pericarditis, which means the thin sac around your heart (the pericardium) has become swollen and inflamed. This swelling can cause chest pain.
read more about dresslers syndrome ...This syndrome is an immune system mistake. After your heart is damaged from a heart attack or surgery, your body's immune system tries to clean up the area. In Dressler's syndrome, the immune system gets confused and also attacks the healthy lining of the heart. This causes the inflammation.
The symptoms of Dressler's syndrome do not happen right away. They usually start weeks or even a few months after the heart attack or surgery. This makes it different from other types of pain that can happen right after a heart event.
The main symptom is a sharp, stabbing chest pain. This pain often feels worse when you breathe in deeply or when you lie down. Many people find the pain feels a little better if they sit up and lean forward. You may also have a fever and feel very tired.
A doctor will diagnose it by listening for a scratchy sound in your chest, called a rub. They may also use an EKG or an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound). Treatment is focused on calming the inflammation. The most common treatment is a pain reliever, like high-dose aspirin or ibuprofen. If that does not work, a doctor may prescribe other anti-inflammatory medicines.
A common feature of Dressler's syndrome is the buildup of excess fluid between the layers of the pericardium. This is called a pericardial effusion. The inflamed layers of the heart sac produce extra fluid that gets trapped. While a small amount of fluid is usually harmless, a large amount can put pressure on the heart and stop it from beating properly, a condition that requires a doctor to drain the fluid.
No. The chest pain can be scary, but it is not a heart attack. It is inflammation of the sac *around* the heart, not a blockage *in* the heart's arteries. However, you must always treat new chest pain as an emergency.
It used to be more common. Today, with modern treatments for heart attacks that open up the arteries quickly, Dressler's syndrome is now quite rare.
Most cases are mild and go away with medicine. In rare cases, a lot of fluid can build up around the heart and cause a serious problem, but this is not common if it is treated.
You must call your doctor or 911 right away if you have any new or unexplained chest pain, especially if you have had a heart attack or heart surgery in the past few months. Even though this pain is likely from inflammation, all chest pain needs to be checked by a doctor immediately.
1. Dressler syndrome - Symptoms and causes. Mayo?Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dresslers-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20371811. August?31,?2024.
2. Pericarditis - after heart attack. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000166.htm. July?14,?2024.
3. Dressler's Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17947-dresslers-syndrome. May?2,?2025.
4. Pericardial Effusion. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431089/. January?2024.
5. Post-cardiac injury syndrome: aetiology, diagnosis, and treatment. European Society of Cardiology. https://www.escardio.org/communities/councils/cardiology-practice/scientific-documents-and-publications/ejournal/volume-15/Post-cardiac-injury-syndrome-aetiology-diagnosis-and-treatment/. November 2,?2017.