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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffHow much you can do to prepare for an appointment will depend on a few factors:
- If you are experiencing chest pain that lasts more than a few minutes, are having difficulty breathing or have had an unexplained fainting spell, arrange to be taken to the emergency room or call 911 or emergency medical help.
- If you have any nonemergency symptoms that may be related to pericardial effusion or another heart condition, call your doctor.
- If you have nonemergency symptoms and were recently treated for a heart attack or had heart surgery of any kind, you likely have instructions for how to follow up with your heart specialist (cardiologist) or primary care doctor if you experience any complications.
If you have nonemergency symptoms and have time to prepare for your appointment, the following ideas may help you make the best use of the time with your primary care doctor or cardiologist.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to your heart or breathing.
- Bring a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Bring a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time. Some questions you might ask include:
- What is causing my symptoms?
- If I have a disease of the pericardium, can we determine the underlying cause?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- How severe is my condition?
- What treatment do you recommend?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
- Have you had cold or flu symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms? For example, is chest pain less severe when you sit and lean forward?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms? For example, are your symptoms worse when you're lying down? Are they worse when you're more active
- Little WC, et al. Pericardial disease. Circulation. 2006;113(12):1622-1632.
- Cardiopulmonary syndromes (PDQ®): Malignant pericardial effusion. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/cardiopulmonary/HealthProfessional. Accessed Nov. 1, 2008.
- Martin M, et al. Pericardial disease. In: Libby P, et al., eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/108738632-2/0/1549/0.html. Accessed Oct. 29, 2008.
- Khunnawat C, et al. Cardiovascular manifestations in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. American Journal of Cardiology. 2008;102(5):635-642.
- Maisch B, et al. Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of pericardial diseases executive summary: The task force on the diagnosis and management of pericardial diseases of the European Society of Cardiology. European Heart Journal. 2004;25(7):587-610.
- Ristic AD, et al. Management of pericardial effusion: The role of echocardiography in establishing the indications and the selection of the approach for drainage. Herz. 2005;30(2):144-150.
