Pericardial Disease, Myocarditis, and Cardiac Tamponade

Acute pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardium that is most commonly caused by either viral infections or myocardial infarction. It usually presents with fever, pleuritic chest pain, and a pericardial friction rub heard on auscultation. Pericardial effusion is the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial space (between the parietal and the visceral pericardium) and is often associated with a variety of underlying disorders. Pericardial effusion is initially asymptomatic, but it can evolve to cardiac tamponade with hypotension, tachycardia, jugular venous congestion, and pulsus paradoxus. Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium that most often affects young patients commonly caused by viral infections but may also manifest in patients with connective tissue disease.