Читать книгу Understanding Anatomy and Physiology in Nursing - John Knight - Страница 84

Viral and bacterial infections of the pericardium are not uncommon and these can trigger an inflammatory response within the pericardial membranes. This is termed pericarditis and is often accompanied by chest pain and a fever. A major issue with pericarditis is that infection can cause pericardial effusion where there is an increase in fluid volume within the pericardial space. This extra fluid typically consists of inflammatory exudate, pus or blood or a combination of these. Pericardial effusion can quickly develop into a life-threatening emergency as fluid builds up around the heart and begins to compress the ventricles, preventing the heart from functioning as an efficient pump.

This phenomenon is termed cardiac tamponade and is usually treated by inserting a needle into the pericardial sac (needle decompression) to drain off the excess fluid that is crushing the heart. Once decompressed, cardiac function is quickly restored since the ventricles can then fill and pump blood normally. Pericardial effusions that may lead to cardiac tamponade can also be caused by blunt trauma to the chest (e.g. following a car accident when the patient’s chest impacts the steering wheel).