Dressler's syndrome is a pericarditis that develops 2 to 10 weeks after a myocardial infarction or heart surgery.

The inflammatory response is believed to be the result of an autoimmune reaction to myocardial neo-antigens.

One in five patients with a myocardial infarction will suffer recurrence of chest pain within a few days, most commonly after an anterior infarction.

A diagnosis of acute post-MI pericarditis is suggested by:

• a low grade fever
• chest pain
• a pericardial friction rub
• rarely, the pericardial effusion may cause cardiac tamponade