Extract
On November 24, 2004, a 72-year-old male was admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) with a history of worsening dyspnoea, chest pain and bilateral interstitial infiltrates. He was initially admitted 3 weeks earlier (November 4, 2004) to the intensive coronary care unit (ICCU) due to a 10-day history of worsening exertion dyspnoea, pleuritic chest pain associated with diffuse changes of the ST–T segment on ECG and elevated cardiac troponin T. While the admission chest radiograph was normal, echocardiography revealed mild pericardial effusion and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was elevated. A tentative diagnosis of pericarditis was entertained and high-dose aspirin therapy (2 g per day) was initiated.
- ©ERS 2005
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