Cardiac Tamponade

Cardiac tamponade is a build-up of fluid in the pericardium, which is the thin membrane around your heart. This build-up obstructs the flow of blood into your heart. And that means that the lower chambers of your heart, called the ventricles, cannot fill.

What is going on in the body?

The pericardium normally contains a very small amount of fluid. It plays an important role in the following ways:

Chest trauma, such as a crush injury, can cause fluid to build up in the pericardium. The accumulated fluid consists of blood or other body fluids. When this fluid builds up around your heart, it restricts the ability of the ventricles to fill with blood. If the build-up of fluid occurs slowly over time, then large amounts of fluid can collect. However, if fluid collects suddenly, even small amounts may be fatal.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

Cardiac tamponade can occur after any of the following events or conditions.

If the cardiac tamponade is not treated, you may die.

What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

Although the onset of cardiac tamponade can be sudden, it most commonly occurs slowly. The symptoms increase with the amount of blood in the pericardium. As your heart stops pumping efficiently, these symptoms appear:

How is the condition diagnosed?

The diagnosis can be made by the presence of abnormal pulses and an abnormal electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG. A chest X-ray may show changes in the shape of your heart. Echocardiography, which is an ultrasound of your heart, or more invasive tests such as cardiac catheterization can confirm the diagnosis.

What can be done to prevent the condition?

Early treatment of any underlying heart disease or infection can help prevent cardiac tamponade. Drainage of fluid from the pericardium before too much builds up can also prevent tamponade.

What are the long-term effects of the condition?

If the tamponade is not discovered in time, the fluid build-up into the pericardium will finally stop your heart from filling properly, and death may result.

What are the risks to others?

There are no risks to others.

What are the treatments for the condition?

A needle placed into the pericardium can drain the fluid. Sometimes a chest tube is left in place to allow continuous drainage.

What are the side effects of the treatments?

The needle drainage of fluid out of the pericardium is associated with an increased risk of infection and perforation of the wall of the heart or lung.

What happens after treatment for the condition?

After treatment, your doctor will watch you carefully because fluid may build up again. If that happens, the procedure will need to be repeated. The underlying disease must be aggressively treated.

How is the condition monitored?

If the tamponade is caused by a sudden chest trauma and is successfully drained, then the risk of more fluid build-up lessens. Any underlying heart infection must be treated to make sure that fluid does not build up again.

Author:Eric Berlin, MD
Date Written:
Editor:Ballenberg, Sally, BS
Edit Date:09/30/01
Reviewer:Gail Hendrickson, RN, BS
Date Reviewed:05/04/01

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