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Fibrous Pericardium. Continuous with the central tendon of the diaphragm, the fibrous pericardium is made of tough connective tissue and is relatively non-distensible. This rigidity prevents rapid overfilling of the heart, but can have several serious clinical consequences (see cardiac tamponade).
The pericardium is a double-walled sac that contains the heart and the roots of the great vessels. The outer wall of the pericardium is composed of dense connective tissue. The portion of the inner wall of the pericardium that is in contact with the heart (but not in contact with the great vessels) is the epicardium. The epicardium contains the blood vessels supplying blood to heart muscle (the coronary arteries) as well as nerve fibers.