What will happen if there is too much pericardial effusion?

Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
Updated on September 03, 2024
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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.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Can pericardial effusion cause fever?

Pericardial effusion can sometimes cause fever. If the patient has a fever, it may indicate a poor prognosis and suggest the presence of an infection. In such cases, antibiotics should be used for treatment, along with measures to reduce the fever. If the effusion is caused by other diseases, it is still necessary to actively treat the underlying condition. Currently, for pericardial effusion, if the volume of the effusion is small, it can be absorbed by the body itself. However, if there is a large amount of effusion, the patient might experience symptoms like chest tightness, palpitations, and difficulty breathing. In such cases, it may be necessary to perform a puncture for fluid drainage and examination. If fever occurs during this period, indicating an infection, anti-inflammatory medications should be used for treatment. If necessary, corticosteroid medications might also be needed.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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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.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Why does pericardial effusion cause jugular vein distension?

Pericardial effusion can cause jugular venous distension because the main complication of pericardial effusion is the occurrence of heart failure. Once heart failure occurs, especially right heart failure, it can lead to jugular venous distension, which is also a manifestation of heart failure. If heart failure is corrected and treated in time, this jugular venous distension can also be alleviated. However, the treatment of pericardial effusion depends on the severity of the symptoms. If there is a small amount of pericardial effusion, temporary observation and medical treatment are mainly used. For large amounts of pericardial effusion, sometimes puncture drainage for examination or pathological examination may be needed.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Will pericardial effusion cause an increase in troponin levels?

In general, if a patient is diagnosed with pericardial effusion, troponin levels might also increase under stress conditions. This is because troponin is primarily used as a marker to assess myocardial infarction. An increase in troponin levels suggests the possibility of a myocardial infarction. However, under stress conditions, especially with pericardial effusion, troponin levels can rise. During this period, it is also advisable to perform an electrocardiogram or a cardiac echocardiography on the patient for a more definitive diagnosis. A mere increase in troponin levels does not conclusively indicate a problem; it is necessary to consider the patient’s current symptoms and results from other diagnostic tests.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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What should I do if pericardial effusion prevents me from lying down?

If pericardial effusion occurs and the patient cannot lie flat, it indicates that this heart failure has not been timely corrected. The patient should immediately go to the hospital to use medications, especially cardiovascular and diuretic drugs, to improve cardiac function and alleviate the current condition of the patient. Generally, it is still recommended that patients primarily adopt a semi-recumbent position to reduce the load on the heart muscle, thereby improving symptoms. If the patient cannot lie flat, do not force it; a semi-recumbent position will suffice as it makes no significant difference. With aggressive internal medicine treatment, pericardial effusion can be alleviated, and the patient's symptoms will improve. However, during this period, it is still necessary to monitor changes in the patient's heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse, and to address any issues promptly.