The pericardium is a double-walled sac that contains the heart and the roots of the great vessels. There are two layers to this sac: the fibrous pericardium, serous pericardium, and a space in between these two layers called the pericardial cavity. The heart and lungs (from an older edition of Grays Anatomy) The heart (Latin cor) is a hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. ...

The fibrous pericardium is the most superficial layer. It is a dense connective tissue layer which functions in protecting the heart, anchoring it to the surrounding walls and preventing it from overfilling with blood. Connective tissue is any type of biological tissue with an extensive extracellular matrix and often serves to support, bind together, and protect organs. ... Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are present in the blood and help carry oxygen to the rest of the cells in the body Blood is a circulating tissue composed of fluid plasma and cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets). ...

The serous pericardium is deep to the fibrous pericardium. It contains two layers, both of which function in lubricating the heart to prevent friction from occurring during heart activity. The layer next to the fibrous pericardium is the parietal layer, and the layer next to the heart is the visceral layer, also known as the epicardium. Between these two layers exists a small cavity called the pericardial cavity, which contains a supply of serous fluid. Epicardium describes the outer layer of heart tissue (from Greek; epi- outer, cardium heart). ...

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium. It can cause fluid to build up in the sac. Excessive amounts of fluid may lead to cardiac tamponade by physically blocking the heart from beating properly or compression of the great vessels of the heart. Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium. ... Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. ... Cardiac tamponade is a medical emergency condition where a large amount of a liquid accumulates in the pericardium in a relatively short time. ...

Traditional Chinese theory

See Pericardium (Zang) for a description of the pericardium according to the Zang Fu theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine. As distinct from the Western medical concept of Pericardium, this concept from Traditional Chinese Medicine is more a way of describing a set of interrelated parts than an anatomical organ. ... Zang-Fu theory is a concept within traditional Chinese medicine, part of the TCM model of the body. ... Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also known simply as Chinese medicine (Chinese: 中醫學, zhōngyī xué, or 中药学, zhōngyaò xué) is the name commonly given to a range of traditional medical practices used in China that have developed over the course of several thousand years of history. ...