Pericarditis

Basics

Description

  • Inflammation, infection, or infiltration of the pericardial sac surrounding the heart:
    • Pericardial effusion may or may not be present
  • Acute pericarditis:
    • Rapid in onset
    • Potentially complicated by cardiac tamponade from effusion
  • Constrictive pericarditis:
    • Results from chronic inflammation causing thickening and adherence of the pericardium to the heart

Etiology

  • Idiopathic (most common)
  • Viral:
    • Echovirus
    • Coxsackie
    • Adenovirus
    • Varicella
    • Epstein–Barr virus
    • Cytomegalovirus
    • Hepatitis B
    • Mumps
    • HIV
  • Bacterial:
    • Tuberculosis
    • Staphylococcus
    • Streptococcus
    • Haemophilus
    • Salmonella
    • Legionella
  • Fungal:
    • Candida
    • Aspergillus
    • Histoplasmosis
    • Coccidioidomycosis
    • Blastomycosis
    • Nocardia
  • Parasitic:
    • Amebiasis
    • Toxoplasmosis
    • Echinococcosis
  • Neoplastic:
    • Lung
    • Breast
    • Lymphoma
  • Uremia
  • Myocardial infarction:
    • Dressler syndrome
  • Connective tissue disease:
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus
    • Rheumatoid arthritis
    • Scleroderma
  • Radiation
  • Chest trauma
  • Postpericardiotomy
  • Aortic dissection
  • Myxedema
  • Pancreatitis
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Amyloidosis
  • Drugs:
    • Procainamide
    • Cromolyn sodium
    • Hydralazine
    • Dantrolene
    • Isoniazid
    • Penicillins
    • Doxorubicin/daunorubicin

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