Cardiac Tamponade is a severe medical condition where fluids or blood flow can be found in the sac that houses the heart and the heart muscle. This puts a lot of stress on the heart. The pressure stops the ventricles in your heart from expanding and stops your heart from operating. Your heart’s ability to pump blood to the other organs parts of the body when this occurs. This could lead to the organ failing, shock, and even death.
Tamponade is a medical emergency. When you or anyone else you know has symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
Causes Cardiac Tamponade?
The occurrence of cardiac Tamponade is usually due to infiltration of the pericardium, the thin, double-walled vessel that is the heart’s protective shell. A pericardium filled with fluid from your body can compress the heart. When fluid presses against your heart, it shrinks in size and permits blood to flow through. The oxygen-rich blood flows into the rest of your body, resulting in. A lack of blood flow to the heart and the other parts of your body could cause organ failure, shock, and cardiac arrest.
The main causes of pericardial permeability or accumulation of fluid could be:
- injuries from gunshots or stabs
- and chest from a car accident or an industrial accident
- perforated following the procedure of cardiac catheterization, angiography, or the insertion of a pacemaker
- Punctures are made when placing central lines. A central line is a catheter used to administer medicines or fluids.
- Cancer has spread into the pericardial sac, for example, lung cancer or breast cancer.
- Aneurysms ruptured in the aortic region.
- Pericarditis is it is an inflammation in the pericardium.
- Lupus is an inflammation disease where the immune system attacks healthy tissues
- high levels of radiation for the chest
- hypothyroidism raises the risk of heart disease
- a heart attack
- kidney failure
- conditions that affect the heart
What Are the Symptoms of Cardiac Tamponade?
Cardiac Tamponade exhibits these symptoms
- tension and agitation
- Low blood pressure
- weaknesses
- chest pain that is radiating into your shoulders, neck, or back
- difficulty breathing or breathing
- rapid breathing
- The discomfort is relieved by leaning forward or sitting
- dizziness, fainting, and loss of consciousness
How Is Cardiac Tamponade Diagnosed?
The Tamponade of the heart usually has three symptoms that your doctor will detect. These are known as Beck’s trinity. They comprise:
- Weak pulses and low blood pressure are signs that your heart is pumping less blood.
- The neck veins don’t extend because they have a difficult time getting blood back to the heart
- A rapid heartbeat, accompanied by the sound of your heart becoming muffled due to the swelling layer of fluid within the pericardium
Your doctor may conduct more tests to confirm a heart tamponade diagnosis. One test that is a test can be an echocardiogram; it is an imaging scan of your heart. It will reveal if the heart is in a state of degeneration and the ventricles have collapsed because of lower blood flow. A chest X-ray may reveal an expanded, globe-shaped heart if you have cardiac Tamponade. Other tests for diagnosis could include:
- A thoracic CT scan is a way to detect fluid accumulation within your chest or any changes in the heart
- A magnetic resonance angiogram is a way to check how blood flows through your heart
- An electrocardiogram evaluates the heartbeat
What Is the Treatment for Cardiac Tamponade?
Cardiac Tamponade can be described as a medical emergency that needs hospitalization. The treatment for cardiac Tamponade serves two functions. By addressing the root cause of the problem, it can relieve the pressure on your heart. Initial treatment involves your doctor making sure you’re stabilized.
The doctor will remove the fluid from the pericardial sac using a needle. The procedure is referred to as pericardiocentesis. The doctor can carry out a more complex procedure known as a thoracotomy. An infected wound requires this procedure to remove blood and clots. The doctor may also remove a part of your pericardium to ease the tension on the heart.
Additionally, you’ll receive oxygen, fluids, and medications to raise your blood pressure.
As soon as the Tamponade is under control and the condition has stabilized, your doctor will run more tests to identify the underlying cause.
What Is the Long-Term Outlook?
An accurate diagnosis of the Tamponade, its cause, and any complications that may follow will determine the long-term outlook. The odds are positive if the Tamponade in your heart is treated and diagnosed.
Your future outlook is largely contingent on the speed with which you receive treatment. Take action immediately to seek medical attention when you suspect that you are suffering from this type of condition.