Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Constrictive pericarditis
Treatment
The goal of treatment is to improve heart function. The cause must be identified and treated. This may include antibiotics, antituberculosis medications, or other treatments.
Diuretics ("water pills") are commonly prescribed in small doses to help the body remove excess fluid.
Decreased activity may be recommended for some patients.
A low-sodium diet may also be recommended.
The definitive treatment is a type of surgery called a pericardiectomy. This involves cutting or removing the scarring and part of the sac-like covering of the heart.
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
Constrictive pericarditis may be life threatening if untreated.
However, surgery to treat the condition is associated with a relatively high complication rate and is usually reserved for patients who have severe symptoms.
Complications
- Cardiac tamponade
- Damage to the coronary arteries
Heart failure Pulmonary edema - Scarring of the heart muscle
Calling your health care provider
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of constrictive pericarditis.
Previous Section
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)
