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Does This Patient Have Pericardial Tamponade?
- Echocardiography is critical for the identification of a pericardial effusion and rapid diagnosis of pericardial tamponade.
- Common echocardiography findings that suggest tamponade include diastolic right ventricular collapse, systolic right atrial collapse, a plethoric IVC with minimal respiratory variation, and potentially exaggerated respiratory cycle changes in mitral and triscupid inflow velocities.
- Of these, systolic right atrial collapse is the earliest echocardiographic sign of tamponade, with a sensitivity ranging from 50% to 100%.
- Of the 4 standard echo views, systolic right atrial collapse can best be viewed in the apical 4-chamber and subxiphoid views.
References
Alerhand S, Carter JM. What echocardiographic findings suggest a pericardial effusion is causing tamponade? Am J Emerg Med. 2019; 37:321-6.