Constrictive pericarditis

Background[1]

  • Occurs when normally elastic pericardium becomes thickened and fibrotic
  • Can be infectious, post-cardiac surgery, inflammatory, idiopathic or related to radiation exposure
  • Impairs diastolic filling of heart
  • Must distinguish from restrictive cardiomyopathy

Clinical Features

  • Symptoms similar to congestive heart failure, especially right sided
    • Dyspnea
    • Lower extremity edema
    • Jugular venous distention

Differential Diagnosis

Cardiomyopathy


Evaluation

Workup

Management

  • Definitive treatment is surgical pericardiectomy

Disposition


See Also


References

  1. Singh M, Niemann JT. Cardiomyopathies and Pericardial Disease. In: Tintinalli JE, Ma OJ, Yealy DM, et al., eds. Tintinalli’s Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 9th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2020:(Ch) 55.
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