CardiologyEmergency Medicine
Cardiac Tamponade
Diagnose with Beck's triad + echo, distinguish from constrictive pericarditis, urgent pericardiocentesis (echo-guided), surgical drainage when indicated.
Source: ESC 2015 Pericardial Diseases
Step 1 of ~5
info
Recognise — Beck's Triad + Echo
Beck's triad (hypotension, raised JVP, muffled heart sounds) — present in only ~30%. Pulsus paradoxus >10 mmHg suggestive. Other: tachycardia, dyspnoea, oliguria, ALOC. Echo (FAST in extremis): RV diastolic collapse, LA systolic collapse, plethoric IVC, swinging heart in large effusion. Causes: malignancy, idiopathic/viral, post-cardiac surgery, trauma, dissection, uraemia, TB, post-MI rupture.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Drugs
- Neostigmine · Anticholinesterase (Reversal Agent)
- Prilocaine · Local Anaesthetic (Amide)
- Tranexamic Acid (ICU/Trauma/Surgical) · Antifibrinolytic
- Mepivacaine with adrenaline · Amide LA + vasoconstrictor
- Neostigmine with glycopyrronium · Anticholinesterase + antimuscarinic
- Lidocaine hydrochloride · Amide local anaesthetic / Class IB antiarrhythmic
Pathways
- Acute Heart Failure · ESC 2021 Heart Failure Guidelines; NICE NG106
- NSTEMI / Unstable Angina · ESC 2020 NSTEMI Guidelines; NICE NG185
- New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation · ESC 2020 AF Guidelines; NICE NG196
- Hypertensive Emergency · ESC/ESH 2018 Hypertension Guidelines; NICE NG136
- Bradycardia Management · Resuscitation Council UK ABCDE; ESC 2021 Pacing Guidelines
- Ventricular Tachycardia / Fibrillation · Resuscitation Council UK ACLS; ESC 2022 Ventricular Arrhythmia Guidelines
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