Pericarditis

Question 1

What is the function of the pericardium?

Answer 1

Restrains filling volume of the heart

Question 2

What is the role of serous fluid between visceral and parietal pericardium?

Answer 2

Lubricant action so heart can smoothly move inside the pericardium

Question 3

What is the aetiology of pericarditis?

Answer 3

1) Viral 2) Bacterial 3) Autoimmune 4) Neoplastic 5) Metabolic 6) Traumatic/Iatrogenic

Question 4

What is acute pericarditis? What signs show clinical diagnosis?

Answer 4

Inflammatory pericardial syndrome with/w/o effusion

1) Chest pain 2) Friction rub 3) ECG changes 4) Pericardial effusion

Question 5

What are the main symptoms of pericarditis?

Answer 5

1) Chest pain (severe, sharp and pleuritic)
2) Dyspnoea
3) Cough
4) Hiccups (Phrenic nerve irritation)
5) Skin rash

Question 6

What investigations would you conduct?

Answer 6

1) ECG (PR depression and concave ST elevation)
2) CXR
3) Bloods
4) Echocardiogram

Question 7

What is haemopericardium?

Answer 7

Direct bleeding from vasculature through ventricular wall following MI

Question 8

Why does chronic pericardial effusion rarely cause tamponade?

Answer 8

Parietal pericardium is able to adapt when effusions slowly accumulate, so tamponade prevented

Question 9

What are the main treatments for pericarditis?

Answer 9

1) NSAID/aspirin
2) Colchicine (Anti-Inflammatory)
3) Patients advised to avoid strenuous activity until symptoms resolved