Study note
Medicine
Cardiology
Mechanism and antecedents of chronic constrictive pericarditis
THE CONTEXT
Chronic constrictive pericarditis restricts cardiac filling through progressive structural disease of the pericardium.
Structural changes and functional effects
•
Pericardial disease:
Progressive thickening, fibrosis and calcification encase the heart in a solid shell, preventing proper filling.
•
Myocardial involvement:
Calcification may extend into the myocardium and impair contraction in addition to the filling abnormality.
Preceding conditions
•
Tuberculous pericarditis:
The condition often follows an attack of tuberculous pericarditis.
•
Other antecedents:
Constrictive pericarditis can complicate haemopericardium, viral pericarditis, rheumatoid arthritis and purulent pericarditis.
•
Unidentified
cause: The original insult is often impossible to identify.
Show reference
Explore this chapter
NEETx
Learn. Practise. Remember.
Home
Subjects
Papers
Study notes
Quick quiz