Definition:
Cardiac tamponade, is also known by another medical term as pericardial tamponade, which is characterized as an emergency condition where fluid accumulates in the sac that encloses the heart. The accumulation of the fluid can significantly elevate the heart's pressure and can ultimately lead to shock and possible death if without any medical intervention.
Diagnosis:
Initial diagnosis is quite tricky as the symptoms are often mistaken with heart failure and other differential diagnosis. Hypotension and muffled heart sound are among the main basis for diagnosis and through radiograph that will demonstrate any collapsed ventricle or enlarged pericardium.
Treatment:
Initial treatment will usually be administered to be supportive in nature, such as the monitoring and administration of oxygen. Hospital management involves the insertion of needle into the skin and into the patient's pericardium and aspirate fluid.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms of cardiac tamponade includes difficulty of breathing, discomfort is felt when leaning forward or sitting upright, restlessness and anxiety, fainting, palpitations chest pains, pale skin and swelling of the abdomen. Some additional signs that can also be associated with this medical condition are weak pulse, dizziness, low blood pressure and drowsiness.
Causes:
Cardiac tamponade commonly occurs when the pericardial space is filled up with fluid considerably faster than the ability of the pericardial sac can stretch. Other underlying causes include hypothyroidism, pericarditis, physical trauma, iatrogenic trauma as well as myocardial rupture.
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