Atypical Electrocardiogram in Acute Pericarditis: A Case Report

Pericarditis is a disorder defined by inflammation of the pericardium, commonly presenting with chest pain, fever, and pericardial friction. Electrocardiography (EKG) is frequently utilized to diagnose pericarditis, as it frequently reveals particular changes like ST-segment elevations and PR-segment depressions. Nevertheless, there are cases where individuals show all symptoms of pericarditis yet present an atypical or irregular EKG. This case report intends to highlight the case of a patient who came to an outpatient medical facility with all the common symptoms of pericarditis yet presented an atypical electrocardiogram. Moreover, this report intends to look into the hypothesis that in patients showing symptoms of pericarditis but with an atypical EKG, we might be looking at an irregular or even non-specific variant of pericarditis. This highlights the value of an extensive diagnostic approach consisting of high-quality imaging studies, such as transthoracic echocardiography, as well as medical assessments if an EKG does not give definite proof of pericarditis.