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An eye-opening case report of constrictive pericarditis
Sebastiaan Dhont1, Yves Van Belleghem2, Julie De Zaeytijd3
1Department of Cardiology, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Insights
Constrictive pericarditis, a heart condition, can present with unusual symptoms like vision changes. Early diagnosis through hemodynamic assessment is crucial for managing venous congestion.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Constrictive pericarditis involves pericardial stiffening, impairing heart diastolic function.
- This condition can lead to congestive heart failure due to impaired cardiac output.
Observation:
- A young woman presented with sudden vision reduction and floaters.
- Ophthalmological symptoms preceded the diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis.
Findings:
- Invasive hemodynamic assessment confirmed constrictive pericarditis.
- Venous congestion was identified as a consequence of the condition.
Implications:
- Recognizing atypical presentations of constrictive pericarditis is vital.
- Integrating diagnostic findings aids in managing this complex cardiac disease.
Background:
Constrictive pericarditis is characterized by the encasement of the heart by a stiff pericardium leading to impaired diastolic function, which ultimately leads to congestive heart failure.
Case Summary:
We report a case of a young woman, who first presented to the ophthalmologist with the sudden appearance of floaters and vision reduction. Eventually, invasive haemodynamic assessment led to the diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis leading to venous congestion.
Conclusion:
Understanding the pathophysiology and integrating the results of invasive and non-invasive diagnostic work up is important in making this challenging diagnosis.
