My mother was diagnosed with constrictive pericarditis. how will this affect her?

Can cause dyspnea an: Get consultation from a cardiologist and a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Pericarditis: Alot depends on the cause . Some causes include tuberculosis and other inflammatory conditions like lupus . In some cases a procedure can be done to lessen the construction on the heart.

May cause swelling: When the heart sac (pericardium) gets inflamed, it may scar and stick to the outside of the heart causing a "trapped" heart that can't expand to allow the blood to return. The neck veins bulge, the liver enlarges, the intestines are waterlogged and don't function, and the legs swell. Heart rhythms may also be abnormal. Surgical stripping may completely relieve this depending on the cause.