Liquid reflecting the heart function: Pericardial fluid

Abstract

Pericardium is a sac surrounding the heart and big vessels, protecting them against injury and infection and fixing the heart to the mediastinum. As pericardium has an immunologic, paracrine, vasomotor and fibrinolytic activity; it affects myocyte structure, function and gene expression by synthesizing materials such as eicosanoids and prostaglandin. Pericardial fluid (PF) in two-walled pericardial sac surrounding the heart completely, has a potential of reflecting heart function and shows dynamic changes. Since many biomarkers associated with cardiovascular diseases pass to pericardial sac, PF analysis provides to be understood many pathophysiological mechanisms in various pericardial and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this article is to give actual information about the content of PF that is thought to be passive ultrafiltrate of plasma produced with hydrostatic pressure difference and osmotic concentration gradient for years.