**3. Epidemiology**

The prevalence of constrictive pericarditis is not known for certain, but it is a rare disease. In a prospective study of 500 patients followed for a media of 6 years after an episode of acute pericarditis and the rate of development of chronic constrictive pericarditis is 1.8% [26]. The incidence of constrictive pericarditis in patients with idiopathic or viral pericarditis is lower when compared to other etiologies such as rheumatic disease, connective tissue disease, pericardial injury syndrome,malignancy or bacterial infection. In patients undergoing open heart surgery, the incidence of symptomatic chronic constrictive is similarly low (0.2%–2.4%) [27, 28].
