UREMIC PERICARDITIS

Course overview

THE PERICARDIUM IS THE FIBROELASTIC SAC SURROUNDING THE HEART. IT IS COMPOSED OF TWO LAYERS, VISCERAL AND PARIETAL, THAT ARE SEPARATED BY A POTENTIAL SPACE. WITHIN THIS POTENTIAL SPACE, 15 TO 50 MILLILITERS OF FLUID EXIST TO SERVE THE PURPOSE OF LUBRICATION. THE TERM ACUTE PERICARDITIS REFERS TO INFLAMMATION OF THIS FIBROELASTIC SAC. THE CAUSES OF PERICARDITIS ARE WIDE-RANGING AND INCLUDE INFECTION, AUTOIMMUNE PROCESSES, MALIGNANCY, AND UREMIA. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS UREMIC PERICARDITIS, INCLUDING THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH UREMIC PERICARDITIS.