FREQUENCY OF PERICARDIAL EFFUSION AMONG MALE AND FEMALE IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

Background: Pericardial effusion involves the abnormal accumulation of fluid within the pericardial space, which can lead to significant hemodynamic impairment and progress to life-threatening cardiac tamponade if left unmanaged. Objective: To determine the frequency of pericardial effusion among male and female patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital and to analyze their clinical and demographic characteristics. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing data from 196 patients at a tertiary care hospital. Demographic variables (age, gender) and clinical comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking status, and history of myocardial infarction) were documented. Echocardiographic evaluation was used to classify the severity of pericardial effusion (mild, moderate, severe) and assess left ventricular (LV) function. Results: Out of 196 patients, 51.8% were female and 48.2% were male. The highest age frequency was observed in the 40–50 age group (40.8%). Comorbidities revealed a very high prevalence of hypertension (93.9%), while diabetes mellitus (6.6%) and dyslipidemia (7.7%) were lower. Smoking was reported by 20.4% of the cohort. Echocardiographic findings demonstrated that 99.5% of the suspected cohort had confirmed pericardial effusion. Severity distribution showed that mild pericardial effusion was highly prevalent at 87.2% (n=171), moderate effusion was present in 12.8% (n=25), and severe effusion was present in 10.7% (n=21). Cardiac tamponade was noted in 1.0% (n=2) of the cases. Left ventricular dysfunction was present in 42.3% of the patients, with 10.7% presenting with an ejection fraction below 35%. Conclusion: Pericardial effusion shows a slightly higher frequency among females than males in the tertiary care setting, with the middle-aged population (40–50 years) being most vulnerable. The vast majority of cases present as mild effusions, strongly associated with systemic hypertension and varying degrees of left ventricular dysfunction.