Question

When constrictive pericarditis is present, as one inspires and pulls blood through the right heart, the right heart pressures rise rather than fall. This creates the Kussmaul's sign and the ventricular "interdependence" observed at cardiac catheterization.

Answer 1

Constrictive pericarditis is characterized by a thickened pericardium which causes abnormal increases in right heart pressures upon inhalation, known as Kussmaul's sign, and affects the heart's dynamics as seen in ventricular interdependence during cardiac catheterization.

Step-by-step explanation:

The condition known as constrictive pericarditis involves abnormal thickening of the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart. When one breathes in, the negative pressure normally aids in pulling blood into the right side of the heart. However, in constrictive pericarditis, the stiff pericardium restricts the heart's expansion, leading to an atypical rise in right heart pressures during inhalation. This increase in pressure, rather than the expected decrease, is reflected as Kussmaul's sign, which can be clinically detected. Moreover, because the ventricles are enclosed within the same rigid pericardium, the condition enforces a sort of 'interdependence' between the right and left ventricles. This ventricular interdependence signifies that the pressure and volume changes in one ventricle directly impact the other and is often observed during cardiac catheterization tests that measure specific pressures and flows within heart chambers