Pericardial Effusion

🍁 Pericardial Effusion

The heart has a sac around it called the "Pericardium". The purpose of this sac is to protect the heart from the structures that surround it.

Inside the sac there is normally a small amount of fluid evenly spread in a thin layer around the whole heart. This fluid around the heart is known as "Pericardial Fluid" and basically acts as a lubricant to allow the heart to pump and turn with minimal friction.

⚜ Effects :

Pericardial effusion ("fluid around the heart") is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pericardial cavity. Because of the limited amount of space in the pericardial cavity, fluid accumulation leads to an increased intrapericardial pressure which can negatively affect heart function.

⚜ Reasons :

There are many reasons why fluid can build up around the heart, a condition that is medically known as pericardial effusion. It is often associated with pericarditis, which is an inflammation of the pericardium, a double-layered membrane sac that surrounds the heart and protects it.

Additionally, rapid fluid accumulation in the pericardium can cause cardiac tamponade, a severe compression of the heart that impairs its ability to function.

⚜ Signs and symptoms :

📍 Chest pain, pressure, discomfort
📍 Light-headedness, syncope
📍 Palpitations
📍 Cough
📍 Dyspnea
📍 Hoarseness
📍 Anxiety and confusion
📍 Hiccoughs

⚜ Bloody Pericardial Effusion :

Bloody pericardial effusion is typically a more urgent issue and is seen as a result of blood leaking from inside the heart, or from the large vessels that leave the heart.

Causes may include heart muscle tearing during a heart attack or a tearing of the great vessels leaving the heart (an aortic dissection).

⚜ Specific Causes of Pericardial Effusion includes :

💡 Autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus

💡 Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

💡 Kidney failure

💡 Metastatic cancer (cancer that originated in one part of the body and spread), especially lung cancer, breast cancer or leukemia

💡 Radiation therapy for cancer (when the heart is within the radiation field)

💡 Viral, bacterial or fungal infections

💡 In some cases, the pericardium becomes inflamed for no known reason. This is known as idiopathic pericarditis.

When pericardial fluid becomes too much for the heart to handle, it decreases heart function. If left untreated, it can lead to heart failure or death.