Society of Diabetic Nephropathy Prevention Journal of Preventive Epidemiology 2476-3934 10 2 2025 06 30 Misdiagnosis of constrictive pericarditis presenting with cirrhosis and ascites: a case report e39263 e39263 10.34172/jpe.2025.39263 EN Sina Homaee https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4389-3705 Shahriar Nikpour https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0562-0941 Zahra Davoudi https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3332-9382 Alireza Ebadi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3680-6781 Farnaz Saberian https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6019-7197 Journal Article 10.34172/jpe.2025.39263 2024 12 09 2025 05 15 Ascites, edema, dyspnea, and other non-diagnostic manifestations are among the various signs and symptoms of constrictive pericarditis. It is included in the differential diagnosis of several disorders that affect the heart, liver, pulmonary system, and other organs. In this report, a 44-year-old man presented with abdominal distention, sleep apnea, and lower extremity edema from one year ago. He was misdiagnosed as having right-sided heart failure, but one month later, he manifested icter, ascites, gross volume overload, elevated jugular venous pressure, and edema. Transthoracic echocardiography was compatible with constrictive pericarditis, and cardiac MRI also demonstrated constrictive pericarditis. We performed a total pericardiectomy and ventricular decortication via sternotomy. Patient’s symptoms then alleviate following surgical pericardiectomy, since no complaint was detected yet. Constrictive pericarditis, a potentially fatal and uncommon condition, should be considered among the differential diagnoses in patients with ascites and edema.