Pericardial Drainage: How To Prepare

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How To Prepare

Tell your doctor if you:

• Are allergic to any medicines, including anesthetics.
• Take medicine to prevent blood clots, including anticoagulants (such as warfarin) or antiplatelets (such as clopidogrel or aspirin).
• Are taking antibiotics.
• Have had bleeding problems.

Unless the procedure is being done in an emergency, you will be asked to sign a consent form. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form (What is a PDF document?) .

You may not be able to eat or drink for several hours before the test.

Some blood tests, including those to check for anemia and blood-clotting problems, may be done before the test.

Because this is a test involving your heart, you may have to stay overnight in the hospital to be monitored closely. If a drain is inserted during the test, you may have to stay for several days.

Last updated:	July 09, 2008
Author:	Robin Parks, MS
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, George Philippides, MD - Cardiology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Tracy Landauer