Uremic pericarditis

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Uremic pericarditis is a form of inflammation of the heart lining that happens in people with kidney failure. It causes a fibrinous, or “bread-and-butter,” inflammation of the pericardium. The exact cause is not well understood. The inflammation stays mainly in the pericardium and does not invade the heart muscle, so the usual sign on the ECG (diffuse ST elevation) is often not seen. This condition affects about 6–10% of kidney failure patients and is linked with high levels of waste products in the blood (azotemia); blood urea nitrogen is typically over 60 mg/dL, but how bad the pericarditis is does not always match BUN or creatinine levels. The main treatment is hemodialysis, which removes waste, relieves symptoms, and can reduce any fluid around the heart.