Primary pericardial mesothelioma and asbestos exposure: a rare fatal disease.

A 73-year-old woman without a history of cardiovascular disease was admitted to the hospital with progressive dyspnoea on exertion during the past several weeks, bilateral lower extremity oedema, orthopnoea and paroxistic nocturnal dyspnoea. She lived a few metres away from a badly preserved building containing asbestos for 50 years. Estimated jugular venous pressure was 6+5 cm H2O, a pericardial friction rub was heard, bilateral basal lung crackles were present and symmetrical below-knee pitting oedema was seen. Probrain natriuretic peptide was 2304 pg/mL, and chest radiograph showed a globular cardiac silhouette and blunting …