Research Development on the Active Substances in Pericardial Fluid

Heart and cardiac arteries are surrounded by two layers of pericardium. Pericardial fluid in the pericardial cavity contains 1.7%～3.5% proteins,lower than the plasma. Recent research shows that many active substances,such as ANP,BNP,ET and MMPs,exist in the pericardial fluid of the patients with heart diseases. And the levels of these active materials in the pericardial fluid are closely related to the cardiac function in patients with heart disease. This review concludes the composition of human pericardial fluid and the effect of these active substances on cardiac function.