PERICARDIAL CALCIFICATION

Course overview

THE PERICARDIUM IS A RIGID, AVASCULAR, FIBROUS SAC. ITS PRIMARY FUNCTIONS ARE ANCHORING, LUBRICATING, PREVENTING OVERDISTENTION OF CARDIAC CHAMBERS, AND OPTIMIZING DIASTOLIC FILLING. NORMALLY THE PERICARDIUM DOES NOT CONTAIN CALCIUM DEPOSITS; CALCIFICATION MAY BE A SIGN OF UNDERLYING INFLAMMATION OR A MORE SINISTER ETIOLOGY. PERICARDIAL CALCIFICATION ALONE IS GENERALLY ASYMPTOMATIC; HOWEVER, SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS USUALLY RESULT SECONDARY TO CONSTRICTIVE PHYSIOLOGY CAUSED BY THE RIGID PERICARDIUM. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGIES, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF PERICARDIAL CALCIFICATION AND ADDRESSES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.