Dressler Post-Infarction Syndrome

Dressler's syndrome, post-myocardial infarction, was described by William Dressle in 1938 as a combination of symptoms observed in patients with acute myocardial infarction. This condition can present with a variety of clinical manifestations, including chest pain, shortness of breath and other cardiac symptoms.

The most common manifestation of Dressler syndrome is a high heart rate (tachycardia), which can lead to various complications such as arrhythmias, heart attacks, coronary heart disease and peripheral vascular disease. However, other symptoms associated with Dressler syndrome may include peripheral ischemia, headaches, fever, central nervous system disorders, and others.

To diagnose this syndrome, the patient’s cardiogram is important, which can reveal various changes in heart rhythm. Diagnosis may also be facilitated by the use of additional diagnostic methods such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, or computed tomography.

Treatment of Dresler syndrome requires a comprehensive approach and begins with supportive care for the cardiac system, including nutrition, adequate fluid intake and physical activity. Medicines may also be prescribed to improve myocardial function, treat arrhythmias, and reduce symptoms of depression.

Unfortunately, Dressler syndrome is a fairly rare condition and is often diagnosed only when complications occur. But timely diagnosis of the syndrome and prescribing appropriate therapy can help reduce the risk of complications and maintain the patient’s quality of life. Overall, this syndrome requires attention from doctors and the medical team for timely diagnosis, accurate treatment planning, and symptom control.

Dresslero Syndrome is a pathology associated with the cardiovascular system, therefore, when treating it, therapy is prescribed depending on the severity of the condition. This pathology is very serious and many people die from it. Typically, it appears in men aged 50-60 years, but in women it can also occur for other reasons.

Post-infarction Dressler syndrome is a condition characterized by abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pericardium, the cavity around the heart. As such, it can be considered a form of cardiomyopathy as it results in structural changes in the heart muscle located within the pericardium. Although some forms of cardiomyopathies—such as amyloid cardiomyopathy—also cause fluid to accumulate in the pericardial region, these conditions are quite different in how the fluid is distributed in the surrounding tissue and affects the function of the heart itself and nearby structures. In addition, one potential source of pericardial fluid in Dressner syndrome is infectious peritonitis, a condition in which tissue necrosis and extrapericardial fistula formation occur, potentially leading to fluid dilution with scant inflammatory signs. Thus, it is important to maintain a high level of diagnostic suspicion even in the absence of symptoms, especially in asymptomatic pericardial fibrosis or cardiomegaly. The difficulty of diagnosis is due to the lack of available methods for accurate visualization of the pericardium in many medical institutions. This procedure was previously performed using computed tomography, but now most central clinics can offer a simple method that involves puncture of the pericardium (cholangiostomy) followed by implantation of an intrapericardial device to collect pericardial fluid, allowing visual monitoring of the puncture site. To confirm Dressner's diagnosis, the fluid must be 80% glucose, but this is rarely observed. Instead, a fluid mixture is often found that is a combination of glucose and protein, called a proteinogram, which is a less reliable predictor of whether the pericardial fluid is from Dressner's pericardium.

Many European and North American clinics have a program for early diagnosis and treatment of Dressner syndrome - which, if therapy is started early (within about three months after the onset of signs of the syndrome), can lead to complete recovery. In more advanced cases, patients require a heart transplant.