Friedreich's sign
Encyclopedia
In medicine, Friedreich's sign is the exaggerated drop in diastolic
central venous pressure seen in constrictive pericarditis
(particularly with a stiff calcified pericardium
) and manifested as abrupt collapse of the neck vein
s or marked descent of the central venous pressure waveform.
The sign is named after Nikolaus Friedreich
.
Diastole
Diastole is the period of time when the heart fills with blood after systole . Ventricular diastole is the period during which the ventricles are relaxing, while atrial diastole is the period during which the atria are relaxing...
central venous pressure seen in constrictive pericarditis
Pericarditis
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium . A characteristic chest pain is often present.The causes of pericarditis are varied, including viral infections of the pericardium, idiopathic causes, uremic pericarditis, bacterial infections of the precardium Pericarditis is an inflammation of...
(particularly with a stiff calcified pericardium
Pericardium
The pericardium is a double-walled sac that contains the heart and the roots of the great vessels.-Layers:...
) and manifested as abrupt collapse of the neck vein
Vein
In the circulatory system, veins are blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated blood to the heart...
s or marked descent of the central venous pressure waveform.
The sign is named after Nikolaus Friedreich
Nikolaus Friedreich
Nikolaus Friedreich was a German pathologist and neurologist, and a third generation physician in the Friedreich family...
.