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Constrictive pericarditis is a condition characterized by a thickened, fibrotic pericardium, limiting the heart's ability to function normally. [1] In many cases, the condition continues to be difficult to diagnose and therefore benefits from a good understanding of the underlying cause.
For acute pericarditis to formally be diagnosed, two or more of the following criteria must be present: chest pain consistent with a diagnosis of acute pericarditis (sharp chest pain worsened by breathing in or a cough), a pericardial friction rub, a pericardial effusion, and changes on electrocardiogram (ECG) consistent with acute pericarditis ...
Acute pericarditis is more common than chronic pericarditis, and can occur as a complication of infections, immunologic conditions, or even as a result of a heart attack (myocardial infarction), as Dressler's syndrome. Chronic pericarditis however is less common, a form of which is constrictive pericarditis.
The onset of purulent pericarditis is usually acute, with most individuals presenting to a medical facility approximately 3 days following the onset of symptoms. [4] As a subtype of pericarditis, purulent pericarditis often presents with substernal chest pain that is exacerbated by deep breathing and lying in the supine position. [5]
Important etiologies of pericardial effusions are inflammatory and infectious (pericarditis), neoplastic, traumatic, and metabolic causes. Echocardiogram, CT and MRI are the most common methods of diagnosis, although chest X-ray and EKG are also often performed. Pericardiocentesis may be diagnostic as well as therapeutic (form of treatment).
However, its use for treating constrictive pericarditis has a fairly high mortality rate, initially between 5% and 15%. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] The 5-year survival rate is around 80%. [ 3 ] The most common complication after surgery is reduced cardiac output , which occurs in between 14% and 28% of patients.
Myopericarditis is a combination of both myocarditis and pericarditis appearing in a single individual, namely inflammation of both the pericardium and the heart muscle. It can involve the presence of fluid in the heart .
The disease consists of persistent low-grade fever, chest pain (usually pleuritic), pericarditis (usually evidenced by a pericardial friction rub, chest pain worsening when recumbent, and diffuse ST elevation with PR segment depression), and/or pericardial effusion. The symptoms tend to occur 2–3 weeks after myocardial infarction but can also ...