Complex Issues in the Management of Pericarditis. In Anticipation of the Release of Updated Recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology

Abstract

With the advent of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods, the management of pericarditis has not become an easier task. The well-studied, but currently rare tuberculosis, bacterial and malignant forms have been joined by pericarditis associated with infection or vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. While 2-3 years ago, cardiologists had to recall the schedule of managing acute viral pericarditis, today its complications are often encountered, including chronic, recurrent, effusive or constrictive pericarditis. The European guidelines were updated 10 years ago and are expected to be issued within the next year. We posed the most pressing questions on the management of pericarditis to the coordinator of the 2015 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines [1], who will also chair the 2025 ESC guidelines on myocarditis and pericarditis, one of the most cited scientists in the field of inflammatory diseases of the pericardium, Massimo Imazio. He is a Professor in the Department of Cardiology and Anatomy at the University of Turin, runs a school on pericarditis, and has initiated fundamental research of this pathology. We presented his answers with comments of the co-author in the form of a short interview.