RCIS Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Exam Prep

Constrictive pericarditis leads to a situation where the pericardium becomes thickened and fibrotic, restricting the diastolic filling of the heart. This restriction causes the pressures in the heart to change significantly. One of the hallmark features of constrictive pericarditis is the equalization of filling pressures between the right and left ventricles, typically represented by the equalization of the right ventricular end-diastolic pressure (RVEDP) and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). This is due to the fact that the pericardium restricts filling in both ventricles, leading to similar pressure values during diastole, regardless of the pressures that would normally exist when the heart is functioning without constriction.

This physiological process explains why the correct answer accurately reflects the consequence of constrictive pericarditis on filling pressures. The condition causes a restriction that affects the hemodynamics of both the right and left sides of the heart, culminating in this equalization. Understanding this is crucial for recognizing how constrictive pericarditis impacts cardiac function and the management of patients with this condition.