Skip to main content

4 signs of pericardial effusion - Dr. Adil Ramzan

Pericardial effusion is the collection of fluid around the heart. In this brief article, we will be discussing the signs of pericardial effusion on physical examination.

Following are the 4 signs of pericardial effusion. 

1. Pulsus Paradoxus. 

    Pulsus Paradoxus means a decrease in systolic blood pressure of more than 10mm of Hg during inspiration. The fall occurs due to increase in intrathoracic negative pressure during inspiration. In cardiac tamponade, Pulsus Paradoxus is exaggerated and a fall of more than 10 mm of Hg occurs during inspiration. An arterial line for blood pressure measurement is a good tool to measure inspiratory and expiratory blood pressures. 

2. Ewart's sign

    In case of a large pericardial effusion, dullness is present below the left scapular angle along with bronchial breathing. this sign is called Ewart's sign. 

3. Increased Cardiac dullness. 

    The area of cardiac dullness increases upon the percussion of the anterior chest due to a large pericardial effusion. 

4. Kussmaul sign. 

    Normally JVP rises during expiration and falls during inspiration due to a decrease in chest pressure because the thoracic cavity expands during inspiration. But in Kussmaul sign, JVP doesn't fall during inspiration. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Human Parasites, Types of Parasites, and Classification

Parasite: A parasite is a living organism which gets nutrition and protection from another organism where it lives. Parasites enter into the human body through mouth, skin and genitalia. In this article, we will generally discuss the types and classification of parasites. It is important from an academic point of view. Those parasites are harmful, which derives their nutrition and other benefits from the host and host get nothing in return but suffers from some injury. Types of Parasites Ecto-parasite: An ectoparasite lives outside on the surface of the body of the host. Endo-parasite: An endo-parasite lives inside the body of the host, it lives in the blood, tissues, body cavities, digestive tract or other organs. Temporary parasite: A temporary parasite visits its host for a short period of time. Permanent parasite: Permanent parasite lives its whole life in the host. Facultative parasite: A facultative parasite can live both independently and dependently. It lives in the

How to taper off, wean off beta blocker, atenolol, Propranolol, Metoprolol

Beta blockers include, atenolol (Tenormin), propranolol (Inderal ) and metoprolol (Lopressor) and are used to treat high blood pressure, certain cardiac problems, migraine and few other conditions. People usually take atenolol, propranolol or metoprolol for many years as a treatment of high blood pressure or after having an episode of heart attack . Sometimes, it becomes necessary to withdraw these beta blockers due to their potential side effects that trouble the patients or sometimes doctor wants to change the drug and shift the patient to some other anti-hypertensive medicine. No matter whatever the cause is, whenever, a patient who has been using a beta blocker for a long period of time, and he needs to be stopped from further usage of that beta blocker, must not stop taking it. One should taper off the dose of a beta blocker. Now a question arises how to wean off or taper off a beta blocker? The method of tapering off beta blocker varies from individual to individual. Allow you