Which description best matches chest pain associated with pericarditis?

• A. Chest pain described as pressure-like and relieved by rest
• B. Chest pain worsens with exertion and nitro
• C. Sharp chest pain that worsens with inspiration and lying flat, and improves when sitting up and leaning forward
• D. Pain localized to a single point

Answer: (C)

Pericarditis chest pain is typically sharp and pleuritic, meaning it worsens with deep breaths and chest movement. The hallmark is that the pain improves when you sit up and lean forward. This position changes the heart’s contact with the inflamed pericardium and reduces friction, often providing relief. In contrast, pain described as pressure-like and relieved by rest points more toward angina from coronary ischemia, which is not typically influenced by breathing or position. Pain that worsens with exertion and nitro suggests a demand for oxygen by the heart rather than pericardial irritation, and localized point pain hints at musculoskeletal causes rather than pericarditis.