Pericardium Description
The pericardium is the medical term for the tissue surrounding the human heart – derived from the Greek words peri, around, and kardias, heart.
Pericardium Functions
The pericardium has three primary functions.
First, the pericardium secures the heart in its anatomically-correct location.
Next, the pericardium shields the heart from foreign elements and acts as a physical shock absorber. This second function of the pericardium safeguards the heart from infection and lessens the friction between the heart and the parts just outside it.
And finally, the pericardium supports the functions of the heart. The pericardium helps the heart to keep within efficient limits. The pressure within the pericardium, for example, is subatmospheric which promotes consistent heart function.
Pericardium General Complications
The main malfunction of the pericardium is called pericarditis, an inflammation of the pericardium itself.
Many factors contribute to pericardium malfunction and failure.
- Infectious – viruses, bacteria, parasites
- Metabolic – hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, kidney failure
- Cardiovascular – myocardial infarction [heart attack]
- Inflammatory – Scleroderma, Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis
Pericardium Complication Symptoms
The main symptom of pericardium malfunction is chest pain.
Whether sharp or dull, aching or burning, the pain may indicate pericardium malfunction or a heart attack. Pain associated with the pericardium is worse when breathing in, when swallowing, and when lying flat.
Pericardium Malfunction Consequences
Human physiology is a network of systems that run efficiently when ALL systems run efficiently. If one system – such as the cardiovascular of which the pericardium is a part of – fails, the other systems attempt to compensate for the failure.
A disease such as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis that causes scar tissues to form in the pericardium will trigger cyclical multiple system dysfunction, if not failure.
A drug called aprotinin will trigger kidney failure, which has its own complications, and yet further produce other complications for the pericardium.
Pericardium Malfunction Treatment
Depending on the cause, the treatment for pericardium malfunction varies.
Treatments for pericardium disease may range from hormone replacement for hypothyroidism to intensive dialysis for kidney failure. Or the treatment may be as simple as aspirin after a heart attack or as complicated as multiple therapies for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.
If you or someone you know has undergone an MRI or MRA scan with gadolinium, you may be at risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. Or if you have recently received surgery with the use of aprotinin – or Trasylol – you are at a greater risk of a heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
For gadolinium or aprotinin exposure, consult a physician immediately. These are both medical emergencies, and have proven life threatening. For more information, seek the legal expertise of Babbitt-Johnson if you are in either situation.
It is imperative to consult a physician as soon as possible. Babbitt-Johnson attorneys, specializing in aprotinin and Trasylol cases, offer free legal consultations and advice on the best legal recourses.
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