In order to appropriately risk stratify a patient with pericarditis, the emergency physician needs to consider the possible aetiology of the pericarditis along with the presence of high risk features. These high risk features (see Table below) are associated with a poorer prognosis and may help guide the need for inpatient management [5].
High Risk features:
Learning bite
The presence of any high risk feature is associated with a poorer prognosis. These patients should be admitted for inpatient management [10,12].