症例 challenge · Cardiology / Emergency / Critical care · teaching

Cardiac Tamponade — Management Pathway · case challenge

Given a case, work through the care pathway step by step; the tool checks each choice and scores you. Decisions and basis are taken from this site's reviewed care pathways.

← View the full flowchartBased on AMBOSS / StatPearls

Case #1Cardiology / Emergency / Critical care

📋 Case data

Hemodynamically stable?Stable (effusion without tamponade)

Data is taken from this pathway's reviewed node text. Work through the pathway step by step.

Step 1 / 1 · Hemodynamically stable?

Hemodynamically stable (echo shows effusion + RV collapse)?

💡 Pericardial effusion restricting diastolic filling → obstructive shock (trauma/malignancy/infection/uremia/MI rupture/dissection/anticoagulation/iatrogenic). Beck's triad (hypotension + JVD + muffled heart sounds, complete in only 10–40%), pulsus paradoxus (inspiratory SBP drop >10 mmHg), tachycardia; ECG low voltage/electrical alternans. Echocardiography is key (effusion + diastolic RV collapse).

For teaching. Decisions and their basis are taken from this site's reviewed care pathways; for licensed clinicians/trainees, this does not replace clinical judgment or local protocols.