Overview
Cardiac tamponade is a medical emergency.
When to get urgent help
Call emergency services for chest pain with breathlessness or collapse.
Causes and risk factors
Pericarditis, cancer, kidney failure, chest injury and heart surgery.
How it develops (pathophysiology)
Fluid builds up in the pericardial sac. Because the sac cannot stretch quickly, pressure rises and compresses the heart chambers, which cannot fill, so the amount of blood pumped falls.
Signs and symptoms
Breathlessness, chest pain, fast heartbeat, low blood pressure and faintness.
How it is diagnosed
Echocardiogram.
Possible complications
Medicines
Fluids into a vein while preparing drainage.
Other treatments
Urgent drainage of the fluid with a needle (pericardiocentesis) or surgery.
Living with it and prevention
Treat underlying causes.
Outlook
Good if drained quickly.
