Fluid in the heart is actually medically referred to as pericardial effusion. Pericardial effusion does not affect life expectancy, and even if you have pericardial effusion, you don’t have to worry about a shortened life expectancy. Pericardial effusion can also be treated, usually with medication, and in severe cases of large amounts of pericardial effusion, it can be treated with pericardiocentesis and drainage. As soon as the pericardial effusion is reduced, the patient’s quality of life will return to normal. There are many causes of pericardial effusion, such as severe heart failure, heart rupture, severe myocardial infarction, or severe hypothyroidism, severe anemia, hypoproteinemia, or tumors, all of which can cause fluid in the heart. Therefore, if a person develops pericardial effusion, which is also known as a fluid buildup in the heart, he or she should be examined for the cause first in order to focus on treating it for the primary disease.