Pericardial Disease

PERICARDIAL DISEASE

Pericarditis.There are 2 kinds of pericarditis, acute and chronic.

·            Acute pericarditis is characterized by a fibrinous exudate (viral infection oruremia) or by a fibrinopurulent exudate (bacterial infection).

·            Chronic pericarditis can occur when acute pericarditis does not resolve andadhesions form.

Pericardial effusion may be serous (secondary to heart failure or hypoalbuminemia),serosanguineous (due to trauma, malignancy, or rupture of the heart or aorta) or chylous (due to thoracic duct obstruction or injury).

Tumors of the lung and breast may spread by direct extension to the pericardia.