Pericarditis

Question 1

What is pericarditis?

Answer 1

inflammation of the pericardium

Question 2

What causes pericarditis?

Answer 2

infection or injury

Question 3

What is the pathophysiology or pericarditis?

Answer 3

• inflammation
• causes exudate to form (can be fibrinous or fluid)
• exudate moves into and fills pericardial space (if fluid exudate and pericardial space is not completely full, the fluid will be displaced within the pericardial space to allow atria and ventricles to fill, but if fibrinous = constrictive pericarditis)
• this causes pressure that opposes cardiac stretch, causing the heart to have difficulty filling and emptying

Question 4

What are the manifestations (triad) of pericarditis?

Answer 4

1) chest pain, aggravated by respiration or movement of torso
2) auscultation of pericardial rub
3) ECG changes

Question 5

How is pericarditis treated?

Answer 5

• treat the cause (antibiotics for bacterial infection)

- anti-inflammatory drugs