Tuberculosis, an airborne bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, most often causes lung disease. Worldwide, around 33 percent of the world population carries the bacteria, although only around 15 million have active infection at any given time, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. In the United States, tuberculosis infected 4.4 per 100,000 people in 2007, the same site adds. In rare cases, tuberculosis affects the heart.
Pericarditis Symptoms
Pericarditis, inflammation of the pericardium, the lining around the heart, causes fewer than 5 percent of cases of pericarditis in the United States, but causes the majority of cases in parts of Africa and India, reports the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Pericarditis causes stabbing chest pain which often travels down the left arm and shoulder, similar to the pain experienced during a heart attack. The pain increases when the person lies down, swallows, coughs or breathes deeply, and may improve when sitting up or leaning forward. Tuberculosis pericarditis most often occurs in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those with human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, according to the book "Tuberculosis."
Cardiac Tamponade Symptoms
If pericarditis progresses, cardiac tamponade, the most serious complication of pericarditis, can occur, causing a syndrome called paradoxical pulse. Fluid between the layers of the pericardium puts pressure on the heart, limiting its ability to expand. When the person breathes in, reducing the size of the chest cavity, pressure on the heart increases and blood pressure falls, causing the heart rate to speed up. The person breathes faster and experiences feelings of anxiety. When the person breathes out, the pressure is relieved and blood pressure rises. If the fluid builds up, the heart can't expand enough to pump blood to the rest of the body. Blood pressure remains low, and the person passes out, goes into a coma or dies if pressure isn't relieved, warns the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
Constrictive Pericarditis Symptoms
If pericarditis progresses, constrictive pericarditis can develop. Constrictive pericarditis causes scarring of the pericardium, which constricts heart movement. The heart chambers can't stretch to fill with enough blood to supply blood to the rest of the body. Blood backs up in the heart, lungs and rest of the body, leading to heart failure. Symptoms include fluid retention in the lower extremities, abdomen and lungs; cough; shortness of breath that progressively worsens; and fatigue and weakness, reports MedlinePlus.
