Episode 18: Pericarditis to Tamponade

In this episode, Dr. Burriesci reviews a recent patient case of pericarditis and the possible manifestations of this diagnosis. She explains what symptoms and presentations we may see from this patient population so we can be prepared when we assess our patients.  She educates the patient on positioning to help relieve symptoms, breathing strategies, and exercises that can give us the most bang for our buck. She also walks us through what medical interventions are utilized while inpatient and when we should (and shouldn’t!) see these patients from a readiness perspective.

In this episode:

• Pericarditis

• Pericardial Effusion

• Cardiac Tamponade

• Pericardial drain

• Differential diagnosis (angina vs. non-ischemic chest pain)

• Breathing strategies, positioning and interval training

• Importance of vital sign assessment