[Pericarditis: 5 year records of general hospital]

Among patients admitted to the therapeutic department of the general hospital for 5 years, diagnosis of pericarditis was made in 110 patients (0.44%). Among the most common causes of secondary pericarditis were: chronic renal failure (31.8%), diffuse lesion of the connective tissue (17.7%), tumor metastases to the pericardium (15.5%). Primary pericarditis was, as a rule, of tuberculous etiology. Morphologically, it was adhesive or adhesive-exudative, constrictive, exudative in 13, 4.5 and 76% of patients, respectively. Half of the patients with exudative pericarditis had 300 to 800 ml of fluid in the pericardial cavity. Typical clinical manifestations were dyspnea and tachycardia. X-ray was diagnostically valuable in pericardial exudate 300 ml and more. ECG voltage fell in exudate more than 400-500 ml. Echocardiography remains an effective tool in diagnosis of pericarditis. The treatment consisted of antibiotics, antiinflammatory therapy, evacuation of the liquid from the pericardial cavity.