pericarditis

/,perikɑ:'daitis/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition

Noun: A medical condition characterized by inflammation of the pericardium, the double-walled sac containing the heart and the roots of the great vessels.

Usage

The word "pericarditis" is used exclusively as a medical term to describe a specific inflammatory condition. It is typically used in clinical, diagnostic, and patient education contexts.

Examples
  • The patient was admitted to the hospital with acute chest pain, and the ECG findings were consistent with pericarditis.
  • Viral infections are a common cause of pericarditis.
  • Chronic pericarditis can sometimes lead to complications like pericardial effusion.
Advanced Usage
  • Constrictive pericarditis: A chronic form where the inflamed pericardium becomes thick and scarred, restricting the heart's normal filling.
    • The patient's symptoms of fatigue and swelling were due to constrictive pericarditis.
  • Recurrent pericarditis: A condition where episodes of inflammation reoccur after an initial attack.
    • Managing recurrent pericarditis often requires long-term anti-inflammatory medication.
Variants and Related Words
  • Pericardial (adjective): Pertaining to the pericardium.
    • A pericardial rub is a classic auscultatory finding in pericarditis.
  • Pericardiocentesis (noun): A procedure to drain fluid from the pericardial sac.
    • Pericardiocentesis was performed to relieve cardiac tamponade.
Synonyms
  • Pericardial inflammation: A direct descriptive synonym.
    • The doctor's note indicated pericardial inflammation.
Related Phrases
  • Idiopathic pericarditis: Pericarditis where the cause is unknown.
    • Most cases of acute pericarditis are idiopathic.
  • Post-myocardial infarction pericarditis: Inflammation occurring after a heart attack.
    • Dressler syndrome is a type of post-myocardial infarction pericarditis.
Noun
  1. inflammation of the pericardium