Thank u so much for your response my worry is. Is that this friend is 53 yrs old and has been a steroid abuser for the last 40 years. Huge muscle guy !! Could these complications b coming from that
Thank u so much for your response my worry is. Is that this friend is 53 yrs old and has been a steroid abuser for the last 40 years. Huge muscle guy !! Could these complications b coming from that
Pericarditis affects the pericardium which is the sac containing the heart. This normally has a small amount of fluid to absorb any shocks when you are leaping about. Without this, the heart would be bashing against the rib cage. When infection occurs, it can cause a mass fluid build up, and it makes it harder for the heart to pump. They can put a special drain into the wall of the sac which keeps it at a particular pressure. If the infection is in the lungs too, then this is more serious and if on ventilation is classed an pneumonia. The ventilator will help breathing a lot, but the key is to get the right anti-biotics into the system. They should suction the lungs and send a sample to the lab for culture growth and analysis. This can take a little while, so a common antibiotic is given in the interim. The trouble is, they must determine if it's viral or bacterial because there are distinct antibiotics for both.
Will the doctor not confide in you?
Surgery always has a risk of complications and most times, I believe, do not result in death. You friend obviously has complication and it sounds like he is getting excellent care.
The best advice I can offer is to be optimistic and maintain as much of a vigil as possible so that your friend will know you care - care from friends and loved ones always helps one heal.