Precordial Catch Syndrome (PCS) is a condition where patients have symptoms such as high fever, chills, sweating, nausea and vomiting with other symptoms like headache, muscle aches and weakness. Some of these symptoms are related to heart problems. There are many causes of PCS but most often it occurs due to viral infection or bacterial infection in the stomach or intestines. Other causes include autoimmune disorders, cancer, infections during pregnancy and some medications.
The cause of PCS is not known yet but there are several theories which may explain the disease:
Viral Infection : Viral infection could be one of the possible causes of PCS. The virus or bacteria might trigger an immune response in the body causing inflammation in various organs including the brain, kidneys and liver.
These organ damage may lead to cardiac arrest.
Bacterial Infection : Bacteria could be another possible cause of PCS. Various types of bacteria can cause the same type of symptoms.
For example, Staphylococcus aureus bacteria can cause staph infection. They can invade the bloodstream and enter into the blood vessels leading to heart attack or stroke. Another bacterium called Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria causes strep throat infection. This type of bacteria can also invade the blood vessels, resulting in a heart attack.
Immune Disorders : Various autoimmune diseases are another cause of PCS. These types of diseases are triggered when the body’s immune system starts attacking itself rather than attacking harmful substances or organisms.
This leads to organ and tissue damage and may result in changes in the heart rhythm. Common autoimmune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and many others.
Cancer : Patients who have cancer may experience several symptoms such as weight loss, fever, chills and sweating. This is why cancer is one of the causes of PCS.
Pregnancy : Pregnant women may experience several changes in their body and may also develop various symptoms. These symptoms may be caused by pre-eclampsia or eclampsia.
These conditions may be lead to serious health issues for the mother and the baby.
Drugs and Medications : Several drugs or medication may cause side effects such as high fever, chills, sweating, nausea, vomiting and headache. These drugs may also lead to organ damage and may affect the heart causing various problems such as irregular heartbeat and heart failure.
Tests are necessary in order to find out if the patient suffers from PCS.
Sources & references used in this article:
Precordial catch syndrome.(Featured CME Topic: Precordial Catch Syndrome) by CH Gumbiner – Southern medical journal, 2003 – go.gale.com
Precordial catch syndrome. by D Pickering – Archives of disease in childhood, 1981 – adc.bmj.com
Precordial catch syndrome in children by J REYNOLDS – Southern Medical Journal, 1989 – insights.ovid.com
Precordial catch, a neglected syndrome of precordial pain by AJ Miller, TA Texidor – Journal of the American Medical …, 1955 – jamanetwork.com
” Precordial catch”: a benign syndrome of chest pain in young persons. by MJ Sparrow, EL Bird – The New Zealand medical journal, 1978 – europepmc.org
The” precordial catch,” a syndrome of anterior chest pain by AJ MILLER, TA TEXIDOR – Annals of internal medicine, 1959 – acpjournals.org
