Pathology: Fluid within the pericardium whichrestricts ventricular filling and cardiac output
Aetiology: Transudate: Congestive cardiac failure, myxoedema, nephroticsyndrome
Exudate: TB,empyema
Haemorrhagic: Trauma, aneurysmalrupture
Malignant: Fluid frommetastasis
Symptoms: Chest pain,shortness of breath, fatigue may be asymptomatic
Signs: Tachycardia,pulsus paradoxus
Investigations: ECG: low QRS voltage, electricalalternans (beat-to-beat shift in QRS/P waves)
CXR:enlarged cardiac silhouette
ECHO:specific and sensitive method of detecting a pericardial effusion
Treatment: Monitor, pericardiocentesis
Complications: Pericardial effusions may progress tocardiac tamponade
Prognosis: Depends onunderlying cause. Large effusion indicate more serious disease.
