Restriction vs Constriction
Clinical presentations of dyspnea, pedal edema, enlarged liver, and jugular venous distention may require differentiating constrictive pericardial disease (CPD) from restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM). Differentiation of the pathophysiology is of paramount importance to the invasive cardiologist because they are often called to sort out a confusing clinical picture. The surgical treatment of pericardial constriction not only can be life changing for the patient but also involves a considerable risk.
