Cardiac Tamponade

Question 1

What are the causes?

Answer 1

Trauma
MI
Cardiac surgery
Malignancy

Question 2

What are the symptoms?

Answer 2

Becks triad
- raised JVP
- hypotension
- muffled heart sounds

Dyspnoea
Tachycardia
Pulsus paradoxus- abnormal drop in BP during inspiration
ECG- electrical alterans- alternation of QRS amplitude between each beat

Question 3

What is the management?

Answer 3

Urgent pericardiocentesis