Pericardial Effusion
Pericardial Effusion
It is defined as the fluid accumulation in the membrane called pericardium which surround the heart. It can be occurred due to any inflammation or injury but it can also occur without inflammation.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms include:
- Chest fullness
- Swelling in legs
- Swelling in abdomen
- Chest pain
- Breathing problem while lying
Causes
There are many causes of pericardial effusion, some of them are below mention:
- Viral or bacterial infection
- Inflammation of pericardium
- Autoimmune disorders
- Hypothyroidism
- Cancer of pericardium
- Radiotherapy for any other cancer
- Trauma
Diagnosis
After taking medical history and conducting a physical examination your doctor might recommend a following tests to confirm the diagnosis:
- Blood test to check the any infection and serum protein
- MRI to see the heart actual size
- ECG to check the electrical activity of heart
- Chest x-ray to see the normal size and shape of heart
Treatment
Treatment options for pericardial effusion includes:
- Colchicine
- NSAIDs to reduce inflammation
- Aspirin
- Corticosteroids to suppress inflammation
- Surgical process include draining the fluid, remove the pericardium, open the layers to drain the fluid etc.