Pericarditis

(pcjr-e-kar-di’-tis)[irepi, around; Kapdia, heart; trig, inflammation]. Inflammation of the pericardium. The symptoms are slight fever, precordial pain, and tenderne , cough, dyspnea, and rapid pulse. The physical signs vary — in the early stage there is a distinct friction-sound on auscultation, and sometimes a fremitus on palpation. In the stage of effusion there is bulging of the pre cord i a, a triangular area of dulne , the base of which is downward; the heart’s sounds are muffled. In chronic pericarditis with adhesions there is often systolic retraction of the pre cord i a. The causes of P. are rheumatism, the acute and chronic infectious diseases, Bright’ s disease, and extension of inflammation from neighboring parts. P., Adhesive, P. in which the two layers of pericardium tend to adhere. P., Carcinomatous, P. due to carcinoma of the pericardium. P., Dry, P. without effusion. P., Fibrinous, a form in which the membrane is covered with a fibrinous exudate, first soft and buttery in consistence, but later organizing. P., Hemorrhagic, a form in which the fluid is hemorrhagic. This is the case most often in tuberculous pericarditis; also in scorbutus and in cachectic conditions. P., Localized, a form giving rise to whitish areas, the so called milk-spots. P., Purulent, P. in which the effused fluid becomes purulent. P., Ser of i brin ous, form a in which there is but little lymph or fibrin, but a considerable quantity of serous fluid. P., Tuberculous, P. due to tuberculous infection of the pericardium. 487