Pericardial Effusion

[Avagra]

I’ve been in A&E for various test relating to intermittent chest pains/spasms and had ecg x2,blood tests x3 and x-Ray with a echocardiogram by a cardiologist and it is felt I have slight fluid around the heart area which is called Pericardial Effusion and I’ve to have another echocardiogram in 2 weeks before treatment is assessed.Anyone with this or had it I’d welcome your feedback.

[10gingercats]

I have had this on/off for years.My cardio. monitors it twice yearly with an echocardiogram and I keep the fluid down with adoplopine ...very small dose...and Furosimide. If your fluid increase the docs. will no doubt give you medication to suit you and your condition with regard to your other heart issues.Too much fluid can cause breathlessness. I am 86 and can walk quite well and do everything for myself .I also have quite an active social life.No car. Iuse the bus. So I would say all other things being equal this is not something to be overworried about.

[Avagra in reply to 10gingercats]

Thank you 10gingercats for your reply and I have found it to be most reassuring.Take care and again thank you

[Lezzers]

Hi

My husband had a pericardial effusion last year, caused by an long & invasive ablation. A drain was inserted and the EP was confident this drained it completely but they also put him on furosemide as a precaution. A couple of months later he had a scan whilst in A&E (for an unrelated matter) apparently the scan was a bit blurry but they felt he may have still had some fluid around his heart.

As he was being admitted to hospital for VT's (again totally unrelated) I don't think they did much more than keep him on the furosemide & keep an eye on him.

I assume all must be ok now as he had an x-ray a few months after all this and there was no mention of any further problems.

Good luck with your tests

[Avagra in reply to Lezzers]

Many thanks for you reply and wishing you and yours well .

[Scho1]

Hi, yes I have pericardial effusions a lot of the time due to ongoing chronic, recurrent pericarditis. These can become problematic and restrict the heart if too much fluid collects (cardiac tamponade)and needs to be drained through a pericardiocentesis. However most of the time with anti inflammatory they recede naturally.

They are following up to check what’s going on.

Should you become very breathless and chest pain increases go to A&E immediately.

[Avagra in reply to Scho1]

Hi Schora many thanks for your reply my spasms /pains are intermittent and last for a split seconds and I’ve read not to use gtn spray for this ?

[Scho1 in reply to Avagra]

If it’s pericarditis gtn spray does not work. If it’s pericarditis it will show on an echo or better still cardiac MRI is the gold standard. I’ve had chronic peri now for just coming up to 18yrs and have learned when I need to visit A&E. I do have colchicine daily, celecoxib and oramorph when required. I have 3 monthly checks or sooner if necessary.

[Avagra in reply to Scho1]

Many thanks and you take care 👍

[Scho1 in reply to Avagra]

You too lovely. Have a nice day.

[fishonabike]

Pericardial effusion is a symptom, it is usually the result of dammage, (from e,g. inflammation or infection) - so it is important to find out the cause as well as treating the effusion itself - i hope that this is what your cardiologist aims to do by reviewing you in 2 weeks

meanwhile the extra fluid around your heart may be causing some pressure on your heart muscle, this can affect the blood supply, by pressing on the vessels supplying the blood - this causes pain

so you probably need to take it easy, to reduce the work your heart needs to do, untill the effusion has resolved

FYI there is a membrane (or sac) called the pericardium around your heart, this produces a thin layer of fluid between itself an the heart - the fluid lubricates the space allowing the movement of heart muscle within this protective sac - a pericardial effusion is a build up or excess amount of this fluid

i hope yours clears up soon

[Avagra in reply to fishonabike]

Hi fishonabike that’s a a lot of information thank you I have been told a little from the cardiologist in A&E and know more in a couple of weeks.I understand not to excercise now until then as what you’ve explained sounds like it wouldn’t help and if I’m right a gtn spray is not ok to use .Many thanks again and take care 👍

[fishonabike in reply to Avagra]

GTN relaxes blood vessels - so is only helpful if the problem is constricted/narrowed blood vessels, but narrowed from the inside - Pericardial effusion applies pressure from the outside, so the pain is still caused by reduced blood supply, but relaxing the the blood vessels does not help

[Avagra in reply to fishonabike]

You’re a star !

[Numptybrain]

Hi I have pleural and pericardial effusion but mine is caused by inflammation by a connective tissue disease as yet not identified. It’s been over a year ongoing and I started on prednisone by a rheumatologist as a diagnostic way to see if it was autoimmune and yep fluid and s now dropping dramatically, so much so rheumatologist is now wanting to do further investigation and keep me on a lower dosage rather than stopping in May so various reasons can cause it. I have Serositis picked up by respiratory which affects all your serous membranes so heart lungs and stomach, my stomach has been very enlarged lately which isn’t normally, I’m usually a 14 dress size but I look pregnant.

My advice, try not to worry until they get to the cause, mine has taken over a year and numerous admissions to hospital but finally getting there.

Good luck

Wendy xx

[Avagra in reply to Numptybrain]

Thank you and take care 👍