Even a small change in the environment surrounding the heart can result in drastic changes in the heart’s function. Pericardial tamponade involves a buildup of fluid that compresses the heart and causes unfavorable changes to the cardiac cycle. Watch this video to learn more about the pathophysiology of this condition.
Self-Assessment Questions:
Click here to test your understanding of Pericardial Tamponade.
Discussion Questions:
- Because ACE2 receptors are abundant in cardiac tissue, the pericardium can become inflamed as a result of COVID-19 infection. This condition is called pericarditis. What do you think the symptoms of pericarditis would be? Why is the proper function of the pericardium necessary? You may refer to the literature below.
- To treat pericardial tamponade, a large needle can be inserted into the chest to decompress the fluid. An imaging system is used to visualize the needle inside of the body. List two design requirements for the needle and three for the imaging system. Explain why they are necessary for safe and effective treatment of this condition.
- Using the literature to support your answer, explain why abnormally low voltages may be found in ECGs from patients with pericardial tamponade.
- Pericardial tamponade can have a few different causes. It can also happen quickly or get worse over time. Provide an example of a cause of this condition that will result in slow fluid buildup. Then provide an example of a cause that will result in rapid fluid accumulation.
- In BIOE 252, you considered open systems with fluids flowing in and out. Using the literature to find relevant values, perform a mass balance on the pericardial cavity. Consider both a normal case with pericardial fluid, and then consider a case of pericardial tamponade, where the additional fluid is blood coming from a small artery with a constant flow rate. How long will it take before there is enough fluid to negatively affect the cardiac cycle? Vary some of the parameters and examine the effects of those variations on the calculated time.
Continue Reading:
- Pérez-Casares A, Cesar S, Brunet-Garcia L, Sanchez-de-Toledo J. Echocardiographic Evaluation of Pericardial Effusion and Cardiac Tamponade. Front Pediatr. 2017;5:79. doi:10.3389/fped.2017.00079
- This article reviews key echocardiographic signs that contribute to an appropriate assessment of a pericardial effusion/cardiac tamponade patient.
- Appleton C, Gillam L, Koulogiannis K. Cardiac Tamponade. Cardiol Clin. 2017;35(4):525-537. doi:10.1016/j.ccl.2017.07.006
- This article explores the pathophysiology and treatment of cardiac tamponade.
- Imazio M, Brucato A, Lazaros G, et al. Anti-inflammatory therapies for pericardial diseases in the COVID-19 pandemic: safety and potentiality. J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown). 2020;21(9):625-629. doi:10.2459/JCM.0000000000001059
- This article evaluates the different anti-inflammatory treatment options for those with pericardial diseases and COVID-19.
About the Creator:
This video was created by a student in the Rice Bioengineering Class of 2023 (used with permission).
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