Open AccessTreatment of tuberculosis pericarditis
Author(s) -
J Harikrishna,
Alladi Mohan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of the practice of cardiovascular sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2454-2830
pISSN - 2395-5414
DOI - 10.4103/2395-5414.166337
Subject(s) - medicine , ethambutol , rifampicin , constrictive pericarditis , isoniazid , pyrazinamide , pericardial effusion , tuberculosis , pericardiocentesis , tuberculous pericarditis , pericardiectomy , surgery , pathology
Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for approximately 70% of the cases of large pericardial effusion and the most cases of constrictive pericarditis in developing countries. Early diagnosis and institution of appropriate therapy are critical to prevent mortality. Treatment of TB pericardial effusion consists of 4-drug therapy (isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol) for 2 months followed by 2 drugs (isoniazid and rifampicin) for 4 months. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses suggest that although overall corticosteroids are associated with a beneficial effect on the variables analyzed, the wide confidence interval and a small number of events make it impossible to draw firm conclusions. Pericardiectomy is the definitive treatment for constrictive pericarditis, but is unwarranted either in very early constriction where it could be transitory