wHow heat is related to pericardium
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
Pericardium
Medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, RN on March 27, 2018 — Written by Stephanie Watson
Function
Pericardium layers
Pericardial effusion
Pericardial cyst
Other conditions
Takeaway
What is the pericardium?
The pericardium is a thin sac that surrounds your heart. It protects and lubricates your heart and keeps it in place within your chest.
Problems can occur when the pericardium becomes enflamed or fills with fluid. The swelling can damage your heart and affect its function.
What does it do?
The pericardium has a few important roles:
It keeps your heart fixed in place within your chest cavity.
It prevents your heart from stretching too much and overfilling with blood.
It lubricates your heart to prevent friction with the tissues around it as it beats.
It protects your heart from any infections that might spread from nearby organs like the lungs.
Pericardium layers
The pericardium has two layers:
Fibrous pericardium is the outer layer. It’s made from thick connective tissue and is attached to your diaphragm. It holds your heart in place in the chest cavity and protects from infections.
Serous pericardium is the inner layer. It’s further divided into two more layers: the visceral and parietal layers. The serous pericardium helps to lubricate your heart.
In between these two layers is the fluid-filled pericardial cavity. It lubricates the heart and protects it from injury.
Pericardial effusion
Pericardial effusion is the buildup of too much fluid between the pericardium and your heart. This can happen from damage or disease in the pericardium. Fluid can also build up if there’s bleeding in your pericardium after an injury.
Possible causes of pericardial effusion include:
diseases that cause inflammation, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
severe underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
infections
recent heart surgery
cancer that has spread to your pericardium
kidney failure
Symptoms of pericardial effusion include:
chest pressure or pain
shortness of breath
difficulty breathing when you lie down
nausea
a feeling of fullness in your chest
trouble swallowing
The excess fluid from pericardial effusion can cause intense pressure on your heart and damage it.
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Pericardial cyst
A pericardial cyst is a noncancerous, fluid-filled growth in the pericardium. This type of cyst is very rare, affecting only 1 in 100,000 people.
Most people who have pericardial cysts are born with them, but they often aren’t diagnosed until they reach their 20s or 30s.
Pericardial cysts are usually found during a chest X-ray that’s done for another reason since these cysts don’t cause symptoms on their own.
Symptoms may only appear when the cyst presses on nearby organs or structures, and can include:
pain in your right shoulder that radiates to your left shoulder
shortness of breath
rapid, strong heart rate (palpitations)
a feeling of fullness in your chest
Pericardial cysts aren’t dangerous themselves. However, if they press on your lungs or other structures in your chest, they can cause complications like inflammation or severe bleeding. Rarely, a pericardial cyst can lead to heart failure.