Causes of Chest Pain

Pericarditis

Cause of pain:

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, the membranous sac that encloses and protects the heart.

Characteristics of pain:

Pericardial pain is usually localized to the area of the chest, and often increases during breathing.

Evaluation:

The diagnosis of pericarditis is usually made by taking a medical history, doing a physical examination, and doing an ECG.

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