Causes: Acute viral, autoimmune, idiopathic; less commonly: tuberculous, bacterial, neoplastic
Associated with periodic recurrences in about 50% of pts
Typically treated with ASA or other NSAIDs or, if contraindicated, prednisone
In an open-label study in 84 pts with first recurrence of acute pericarditis randomized to receive ASA + colichicine vs. ASA alone, 18mo incidence of recurrence was sig. lower in combination-treatment group (24% vs. 51%) (Arch. Int. Med. 165:1987, 2005--JW)