Pericardial heart disease can cause impairment which can be quantitated using the AMA criteria.
Selection: A patient should have evidence of pericardial disease based on physical examination, laboratory studies or other findings.
Parameters:
(1) functional class (using the 1964 NYHA criteria)
(2) therapy (diet, medication, surgery) and its effectiveness
(3) clinical findings
|
Functional Class |
Therapy |
Clinical Findings |
Impair-ment of the Whole Person |
|
none with ordinary daily activities or moderately heavy physical exertion |
continuous therapy not required |
no signs of cardiac enlargement; no congestion of lungs or other organs |
0 - 9% |
|
none with ordinary daily activities |
effective |
|
10 – 29% |
|
functional class II (slight to moderate discomfort with ordinary daily activities) |
partially effective |
increased venous pressure, evidence of constriction |
30 – 49% |
|
functional class III or IV (symptomatic with ordinary daily activities) |
ineffective |
|
50 – 100% |
where:
• A patient who has had a pericardial window or pericardectomy performed is classified based upon residual symptoms. If permanent complications occurred from surgery, then these are combined with the impairment associated with the pericardial disease.
Specialty: Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation, Cardiology, Emergency Medicine
