Friday, February, 10, 2012

Pericarditis - constrictive

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Constrictive pericarditis


Symptoms

Symptoms of chronic constrictive pericarditis include:

  • Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) that develops slowly and gets worse
  • Fatigue , excessive tiredness
  • Long-term swelling (edema) of the legs and ankles
  • Swollen abdomen
  • Weakness

Signs and tests

Constrictive pericarditis is very difficult to diagnose. Signs and symptoms are similar to restrictive cardiomyopathy and cardiac tamponade. Your doctor will need to rule out these conditions when making a diagnosis.

A physical exam may show that your neck veins stick out, suggesting increased blood pressure in the area. This is called Kussmaul's sign. The doctor may note weak or distant heart sounds when listening to your chest with a stethoscope.

The physical exam may also reveal liver swelling and fluid in the belly area.

The following tests may be ordered:

  • Chest MRI
  • Chest CT scan
  • Chest x-ray
  • Coronary angiography or cardiac catheterization
  • ECG
  • Echocardiogram

Review Date: 06/01/2010
Reviewed By: Issam Mikati, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Director, Northwestern Clinic Echocardiography Lab, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)