Pericardial Effusion

Pericardial effusion is excess fluid in the pericardium, the sac around the heart. Symptoms can mimic those of heart failure, including difficulty catching your breath, chest pain and coughing.

What is Pericardial Effusion?

The pericardium is a two-layered sac surrounding the heart, with a small amount of fluid between the layers. When the pericardium is inflamed, effusion, the escape of fluid, can occur.

The condition also can occur without inflammation. Pericardial effusion can put pressure on the heart, impairing its ability to function properly. Without treatment, it can cause heart failure or death.

Other symptoms include painful breathing, fever, rapid heart rate and fainting. Some people do not have symptoms.

What Causes Pericardial Effusion?

The pericardium can become inflamed due to injury, disease or another disorder. Inflammation can occur after heart surgery or a heart attack, or as a result of a viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic infection. Other diseases and disorders that can cause pericardial effusion include:

• Cancer
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• HIV/AIDS
• Hypothyroidism
• Uremia

Cardiologists

• Alex Auseon, DO 
• Ragavendra Baliga, MBBS
• Vincent Brinkman, MD
• Charles Bush, MD
• Michael Davis, MD
• Jennifer Dickerson, MD
• Evan Dixon, MD
• Theodore Fraker Jr., MD
• Rodney Graber, MD
• Charles Hardebeck, MD
• William Houser, MD
• Albert Kolibash Jr., MD
• Scott Maffett, MD 
• Douglas Magorien, MD
• U. Krishnan Marar, MBBS
• Laxmi Mehta, MD
• Stephany Moore, MD
• David Orsinelli, MD
• Sanjay Rajagopalan, MBBS
• Subha Raman, MD
• Sharon Roble, MD
• James M. Ryan, MD
• Thomas Ryan, MD
• Talal Attar, MD
• Mary Breckenridge, MD
• Debbra Debaets, MD
• Barry George, MD
• Arsad Karcic, MD
• Lawrence Murcko, MD
• Timothy Obarski, DO

Cardiothoracic Surgeons

• Juan Crestanello, MD
• Michael Firstenberg, MD
• Robert Higgins, MD
• C.B. Sai-Sudhakar, MBBS
• John Sirak, MD