- Symptoms of constrictive pericarditis
- Causes of constrictive pericarditis
- Diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis
- Treatment for constrictive pericarditis
Constrictive pericarditis is a disease that appears when a fibrous tissue, similar to a scar, develops around the heart, which may decrease its size and function.
Calcifications may also occur causing increased pressure in the veins that carry blood to the heart, causing the fluid to fail to enter the heart and eventually accumulating on the periphery of the body, causing swelling in the abdomen and feet.
Symptoms of constrictive pericarditis
The symptoms of constrictive pericarditis are as follows:
- Swelling distributed throughout the skin or anasarca; Increased size of the neck veins; Bloating due to swelling; Swelling in the legs and ankles; Difficulty breathing; Tiredness; Lack of appetite and weight loss; Difficulty of digestion.
Causes of constrictive pericarditis
The causes of constrictive pericarditis are generally unknown, but it can be a consequence of:
- Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus; Previous wound; Heart surgery; Bacterial infection; tuberculosis (main cause in developing countries); mediastinal radiation; neoplasms; trauma; drugs.
Diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis
The diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis is made through:
- Physical examination; Chest X-ray; Electrocardiogram; Echocardiogram; Computed tomography; Magnetic resonance imaging.
To confirm the diagnosis, a hemodynamic study can also be performed, which is a type of cardiac catheterization in order to assess the general conditions of the heart.
Treatment for constrictive pericarditis
Treatment for constrictive pericarditis should be done by taking the following remedies:
- Anti-tuberculosis drugs: must be started before surgery and maintained for 1 year; Medicines that improve cardiac function; Diuretics: help to reduce excess fluids; anti-inflammatories and colchicine can help; Surgery to remove the pericardium: especially in associated cases to other heart diseases such as heart failure.--> definitive treatment in chronic cases.
It is essential to note that surgery should not be postponed, as patients with major limitations in heart function may be at greater risk of death and the benefit of surgery is less.
