What Is Water Around The Heart ?

Water around the heart is medically known as pericardial effusion. The heart has a 2-layered covering that is known as the pericardium. This covering is like a sac and in a healthy person contains some fluid to protect the heart. However, when the pericardium gets inflamed, the amount of fluid increases. This results in pericardial effusion. The inflammation can result due to an injury or disease. At times, the fluid can occur even without an inflammation.

When the amount of fluid in the pericardium increases, it exerts pressure on the heart. This adversely affects the working of the heart. If water around the heart is not treated, it could result in heart failure or be fatal.

Many times, fluid accumulation around the heart occurs due to pericarditis. In this condition, the pericardium gets inflamed. Under normal circumstances, the pericardium is 2-layered, with one layer joining the heart to the tissues around and the other layer with the fluid checks friction during the pumping motion of the heart. However, at times, too much fluid gets accumulated in the inner lining of the pericardium, and it is then that problems begin to arise.

Water around the heart can occur due to several reasons, like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, infection or even drug interaction. It can also occur due to an injury, malignant tumor and/or chemotherapy. On some occasions, the doctors are unable to figure out the reason for water around the heart. In such a case, the condition is referred to as idiopathic pericarditis.

In most people, water build up around the heart can be due to viral infections. The infection usually goes away without any need for treatment or with the help of anti-viral medication. Once the infection goes away, pericarditis resolves itself. Even people who have a heart surgery can get fluid around the heart.

Usually for water around the heart, treatment is based on the amount of fluid present, the cause and whether the pressure exerted by the excess fluid is affecting the working of the heart. If the underlying health problem is treated, the fluid build up often resolves itself. Some of the treatment measures adopted include the following:

Medications to treat pericardial inflammation are often employed. Medications, such as aspirin, NSAIDs and colchicines, are preferred. If fluid buildup does not resolve after this treatment, the doctor may put the patient on carticosteroids, like prednisone.

If anti-inflammatory medications do not work and there is risk of the fluid pressure adversely affecting the working of the heart, the may adopt a surgical pressure to remove the fluid. This can involve pericardiocentesis wherein a catheter is used to drain out the fluid; open heart surgery when blood is hemorrhaging into the pericardium after an injury or heart surgery; intrapericardial sclerosis wherein a solution is introduced between the 2 layers of the pericardium to fuse them together and is employed when fluid build keeps recurring; and pericardiectomy wherein a part of the pericardium is removed surgically. At times, in pericardiectomy the entire pericardium may also be removed if the patient does not respond to any other treatment options.

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• What Is Water Around The Heart ?
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Sponsored Links :

Mayo Clinic: Pericardia Effusion
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pericardial-effusion/DS01124

Everyday Health: Is Fluid Around The Heart Dangerous?
http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health-specialist/fluid-around-the-heart.aspx