Pericardial effusion is a condition in which the pericardium, or the two layered protective sac around the heart, becomes filled with fluids. Due to this abnormal build up of fluids, a person can experience cardiac distress. Pericardial effusion is referred to this excess fluid build up between the heart and its lining.
The main cause of pericardial effusion is the heart condition known as pericarditis. This is a condition in which the pericardial layers become inflamed and start rubbing together. When they rub together in this manner, there is friction and pain and the layers begin to fill up with fluids.
Pericarditis itself occurs due to various different causes. The main cause of pericarditis is viral, bacterial and fungal infections. While viral and bacterial infections are common precursors to pericarditis, fungal infections are associated with the disease in rare cases only. Other causes of pericarditis include inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, metastasis of cancer to the pericardium and the heart, and heart surgery and kidney failure in which the nitrogen levels of blood increase.
Though pericarditis is one of the most common causes of pericardial effusion, a lot of different diseases could lead to it. Therefore, there are no set characteristics as to who are more prone to develop this condition.
Pericardial effusion is a serious medical condition, but the seriousness of this fluid build up actually depends on its cause and its size. The more the amount of fluid in the pericardial layers, the more is the seriousness of the case. If the pericardial effusion has been caused due to an infection which can be controlled and treated, the prognosis is good. However, if pericardial effusion occurs due to conditions which are difficult to treat themselves, treatment may be difficult.
Rapid accumulation of fluids in the pericardial layers can severely constrict the heart and impair its ability to function. This also leads to another complication known as cardiac tamponade, which is life threatening.
A lot of people who have pericardial effusion do not experience any symptoms at all. As the fluids build up in the heart, the surrounding structures may begin to get compressed. Most of the symptoms are like those caused by diastolic heart failure. Some of these symptoms include pressure and pain in the chest, nausea, difficulty in breathing as well as swallowing, and constant abdominal fullness. In case the fluid buildup is large and leads to cardiac tamponade, a person may develop a bluish tinge on the face, especially on the lips and the skin around the lips. The person may also go into shock and experience confusion.
Since the condition often does not have any symptoms, the diagnosis may not always be made in time. Often doctors detect pericardial effusion when they are treating the patient for something else. Some of the most common tests for the diagnosis of pericardial effusion include chest X-rays, echocardiogram, chest CT scan and ECG.
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