noun, Physiology. 1. an instrument, often attached to an inflatable air-bladder cuff and used with a stethoscope, for measuring blood pressure in an artery. He who worships his sphygmomanometer as a thing apart and infallible will sooner or later come to grief.
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the tissue layers surrounding the heart. The chest pain of pericarditis is usually sharp and stabbing. It can radiate to the back, neck, or arm. The pain may worsen when taking a deep breath or lying flat and lessen when leaning forward.
Breathing can be hard after you've had surgery, when you have a lung disease like COPD, or if you're on bed rest. You may find that you can only take small, shallow breaths. Breathing this way makes it harder to get air into your lungs and can cause fluid and mucus to build up in your lungs.