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Summary
The pericardium is a membrane, or sac, that surrounds your heart. It holds the heart in place and helps it work properly. Problems with the pericardium include:
- Pericarditis - an inflammation of the sac. It can be from a virus or other infection, a heart attack, heart surgery, other medical conditions, injuries, and certain medicines.
- Pericardial effusion - the buildup of fluid in the sac
- Cardiac tamponade - a serious problem in which buildup of fluid in the sac causes problems with the function of the heart
Symptoms of pericardial problems include chest pain, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing. Fever is a common symptom of acute pericarditis. Your doctor may use a physical exam, imaging tests, and heart tests to make a diagnosis. Treatment depends on the cause.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
-
Heart Inflammation
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
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Heart Health Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Myocarditis and Pericarditis after mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Specifics
- Acute Pericarditis (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
- Chronic Pericarditis (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
- Dressler Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Pericardial Effusion (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Pericarditis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Pericarditis (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pericardial Effusion
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pericarditis
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Autoimmune Pericarditis: Diagnosis and New Therapeutics.
- Article: Factors associated with pericardial effusion development and persistence in systemic sclerosis:...
- Article: Incremental Diagnostic Value of Computed Tomography Attenuation in Differentiating Malignant Pericardial...
- Pericardial Disorders -- see more articles
Patient Handouts
- Cardiac tamponade (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pericardiocentesis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pericarditis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pericarditis - after heart attack (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pericarditis - constrictive (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.