Inflammation can lead to a thickened, fibrotic, adherent pericardium that restricts diastolic filling and produces chronically elevated venous pressures. In the past, tuberculosis was the most common cause of constrictive pericarditis, but the process now…

Introduction
Pericardial effusion can develop during any of the processes discussed in the preceding paragraphs. The speed of accumulation determines the physiologic importance of the effusion. Because the pericardium stretches, large effusions (>…

The pericardium consists of two layers: the inner visceral layer, which is attached to the epicardium, and an outer parietal layer. The pericardium stabilizes the heart in anatomic position and reduces contact between the heart…