Paucis Verbis: Cardiac tamponade or just an effusion?
What is a cardiac tamponade? It is a clinical state where pericardial fluid causes hemodynamic compromise. With bedside ultrasonography in most Emergency Departments now, it’s relatively easy to detect a pericardial effusion.
But what we more want to know in the immediate setting is: Is this cardiac tamponade?
You can look for RA systolic or RV diastolic collapse. What if it’s equivocal? How good is the clinical exam and EKG in ruling out a tamponade?