Pericardial effusion physical examination
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Abdelrahman Ibrahim Abushouk, MD[2], Varun Kumar, M.B.B.S.
Overview
The vital signs of a patient with small pericardial effusion are often normal. Fever suggests an underlying infectious or inflammatory cause, and the presence of a purulent effusion must be ruled out. The common signs include tachycardia, pulsus paradoxus, hypotension in cardiac tamponade, jugular venous distension, prominent Y descent, Kussmaul's sign, pleural dullness, decreased breath sounds, distant heart sounds, hepatomegaly, ascites in chronic cases, and ankle edema in chronic cases
Physical examination
Appearance of the patient
- Patients with mild cardiac effusions usually appear normal.
- However, patients with large pericardial effusions usually appear distressed and uncomfortable.
Vital signs
- Tachycardia
- Pulsus paradoxus
- Hypotension in cardiac tamponade
Skin
- Skin examination of patients with pericardial effusion is usually normal.
HEENT
- HEENT examination of patients with pericardial effusion is usually normal.
Neck
- Jugular venous distension
- Prominent Y descent
- Kussmaul's sign
Lungs
- Pleural dullness
- Decreased breath sounds
Heart
- Distant heart sounds
Abdomen
- Hepatomegaly
- Ascites in chronic cases
Back
- Back examination of patients with pericardial effusion is usually normal.
Genitourinary
- Genitourinary examination of patients with pericardial effusion is usually normal.
Neuromuscular
- Neuromuscular examination of patients with pericardial effusion is usually normal.
Extremities
- Ankle edema in chronic cases