A 40-year-old man presents with shortness of breath and chest discomfort. He recently recovered from a severe respiratory infection. On examination, there is a pericardial friction rub. What could be the potential causes and next steps?
Given his recent severe respiratory infection, this patient's symptoms and physical exam findings suggest possible pericarditis leading to constrictive pericarditis and subsequent heart failure. The next steps would be to confirm the diagnosis with an echocardiogram, perform an ECG, and initiate treatment for pericarditis, which may include anti-inflammatory medications and potentially colchicine.