Why does pericardial effusion cause difficulty in breathing?

Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

Updated on September 01, 2024

00:00

00:00

Pericardial effusion primarily manifests as palpitations, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. Sometimes, pericardial effusion can exacerbate heart failure. Once heart failure is alleviated, these symptoms can also subside.

Currently, it appears that pericardial effusion mainly presents as palpitations, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing, which are related to diet and fatigue, especially after exercise. This increase in myocardial oxygen consumption can lead to heart failure, resulting in difficulty breathing, particularly exertional dyspnea. At this point, it is necessary to provide low-flow oxygen inhalation and improve the patient's cardiopulmonary function, which is also helpful.

It is still necessary to actively treat pericardial effusion. The treatment mainly involves diagnostic aspiration of the fluid. If the pericardial effusion is caused by inflammation, it can be treated with antibiotics.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

47sec

home-news-image

What position should be taken for pericardial effusion?

If the patient is diagnosed with pericardial effusion, it is generally recommended that the patient remain in a semi-recumbent position, or with legs dangling, to reduce cardiac load and improve symptoms. This is because the main complication of pericardial effusion is the occurrence of myocardial ischemia, or myocardial necrosis. Additionally, the primary treatment for pericardial effusion is still based on pericardiocentesis to improve cardiac function. During this period, it is also essential to actively monitor changes in the patient's blood pressure. If the patient's blood pressure is too high, antihypertensive medications should be used. Generally, a semi-recumbent position is still recommended for patients with pericardial effusion.

home-news-image

Written by Yuan Qing

Pulmonology

1min 3sec

home-news-image

Can tuberculous pleurisy cause pericardial effusion?

Tuberculous pleurisy can also cause pericardial effusion. Firstly, tuberculous pleurisy is actually caused by the tubercle bacillus, a type of immune response in the human body that manifests as inflammation in the serous cavity. The serous cavities include various types such as the pleura surrounding the lungs, the pericardium around the heart, and the peritoneum in the abdomen. Therefore, tuberculous inflammation can occur in multiple serous cavities, including the pleura, pericardium, and abdominal cavity. Of course, when diagnosing, one cannot solely rely on the presence of effusion in multiple serous cavities to diagnose tuberculous pleurisy. Instead, it is essential to aspirate the pleural fluid and test certain markers in it, such as adenosine deaminase and lactate dehydrogenase. Most importantly, the presence of acid-fast bacilli in the fluid should be checked. If detected, it can generally be diagnosed as tuberculous.

home-news-image

Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

58sec

home-news-image

What will happen if there is too much pericardial effusion?

If a patient has an excessive amount of pericardial effusion, symptoms such as palpitations, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing can occur. Currently, the treatment primarily focuses on symptomatic relief. If there is excessive pericardial effusion, symptoms such as chest tightness, palpitations, and difficulty breathing may occur. I personally suggest going to the hospital for a cardiac echocardiogram to further confirm the diagnosis and determine the treatment plan. For simple pericardial effusion, if the amount is relatively small, it can be temporarily observed without treatment. However, for cases with excessive pericardial effusion, it is necessary to perform a pericardiocentesis to remove the fluid and improve cardiac function. During this period, it is still necessary to actively monitor the patient's blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse changes, and address any rapid heart rate.

home-news-image

Written by Li Hai Wen

Cardiology

50sec

home-news-image

Can pericardial effusion cause chest pain?

Pericardial effusion can cause chest pain because patients with pericardial effusion have limited cardiac diastolic expansion, resulting in a restricted blood volume during the cardiac diastolic phase. This ultimately causes reduced cardiac pumping, leading to symptoms of ischemia and hypoxia, such as chest tightness or chest pain. Furthermore, as the amount of pericardial effusion decreases, for example from moderate or large volumes to a small amount, chest pain symptoms can also occur. This is because when the volume of pericardial effusion significantly reduces, there can often be friction between the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium, thereby triggering chest pain. This condition is often accompanied by a pericardial friction rub, which can be felt by touching the precordial area.

home-news-image

Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

49sec

home-news-image

What is the cause of pericardial effusion with persistent high fever?

If the patient presents with pericardial effusion and experiences elevated body temperature, it may indicate the presence of an infection, suggesting that the symptoms are worsening. Currently, the treatment for pericardial effusion primarily involves puncture, fluid extraction, and laboratory analysis. If the pericardial effusion is severe or abundant, fever may occur. Since fever is an indicator of inflammation, it is necessary to use antibiotics for active treatment in order to control this condition. If the body temperature continues to rise, sometimes it is also necessary to use antipyretic drugs to alleviate the symptoms. Persistent high fever indicates that the condition has become very serious, signaling that the infection indices are extremely severe.