Constrictive pericarditis and anemia post myocardial infarction.

A 67-year-old male presented with acute inferolateral myocardial infarction complicated by transient acute post infarction pericarditis. Six weeks later, he developed Dressler's syndrome associated with moderately severe anemia of chronic disease. Both of these resolved over the next few weeks, however, shortly thereafter, right sided congestive heart failure occurred. This progressed despite medical therapy and the diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis was made 10 months post infarction. Total pericardectomy was done one year after the onset of acute myocardial infarction with complete resolution of signs and symptoms.