How can I diagnose the constrictive pericarditis verses restrictive cardiomyopathy?

What is the principle difference between restrictive cardiomyopathy and constrictive pericarditis of the heart disease?

To see if you have pericarditis, use this simple test:

1. In a sitting position, lean forward like your going to touch your toes. Is there pain associated with it?

2. In a sitting position, twist from side to side. Is there pain associated with it?

If the answer is yes to these questions, there is a good possibility that you have pericarditis. Pericarditis is the inflamation of the pericardium, or the membrane that surrounds the heart. It can be caused by fluid loss in the membrane or an infection. This condition can be reversed. Cardiomyopathy is a condition where cells of the heart have died, usually as a result of a myocardial infarction or ischemia. This condition is irreversible.

If you are a patient I would answer as Restrictive cardimyopathy is a disease of your heart muscle and Constritive pericarditis is a disease of the surrounding membrane of your heart, basically the influence of both on yourself is that the heart cannot pump effectively.

The differentiation between restrictive and constrictive pericardial disease can be hard to make, and may eventually need a cardiac catheterization, with measurements of pressures inside the heart as it beats. The pressure-time graphs are then drawn, and there are characteristics in this graph that can differentiate the two types of pericarditities