Pericardial diseases |
| |
Authors: | Samer S Kabbani Martin M Le Winter |
| |
Institution: | (1) University of Vermont/Fletcher Allen Health Care, 111 Colchester Avenue, McClure 1/Cardiology, 05401 Burlington, VT, USA |
| |
Abstract: | Opinion statement Pericardial diseases have multiple clinical presentations with acute and chronic complications. Early diagnosis and prompt
treatment markedly enhance the chance of complete resolution of the hemodynamic complications of pericardial disease. The
treatment of patients with acute idiopathic pericarditis is mainly to alleviate symtoms of chest pain. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
agent such as indomethacin is our first drug of choice. Therapy is effective and symptoms resolve within 24 to 48 hours. In
patients with chronic recurrent idiopathic pericarditis, we advise the use of colchicine at 1 mg/d. Constrictive pericarditis
is a progressive disease and surgical pericardiectomy is the only definite treatment. It should be performed early in the
disease process before myocardial fibrosis occurs. Cardiac tamponade is a cardiac emergency and patients should be treated
promptly. We often start with volume expansion with intravenous fluid in preparation for transcutaneous pericardiocentesis.
Echocardiographically guided, transcutaneous pericardiocentesis is the procedure of choice. Patients with asymptomatic pericardial
effusion are followed with serial echocardiography, and reserve drainage for enlarging effusions if there are signs of cardiac
compression. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|