🎙️ Ready for the MRCP Podcast with Dr Alistair James

In this episode of Ready for the MRCP, host Dr Alistair James dives deep into the topic of pericardial disease, working through 5 challenging MRCP-style questions. Together, we unpack complex exam-favourite scenarios, including:

Differentiating acute pericarditis, myopericarditis, and STEMI on ECG
Recognising high-risk features that mandate hospital admission
Understanding the physiology of pulsus paradoxus in tamponade
Distinguishing constrictive pericarditis vs restrictive cardiomyopathy
Managing post-MI pericarditis safely

Each question is broken down step by step, with detailed explanations of why the correct answer is right — and why the distractors are wrong — so you can sharpen your exam technique and clinical reasoning.

⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is not intended as medical advice and is for educational purposes only. Listeners should always refer to up-to-date clinical guidelines and use their own clinical judgment in practice. Please note that the ESC published updated 2025 guidelines on pericardial disease after this episode was recorded, so some information may now be out of date.