Definition:
Cardiac tamponade is the compression of the heart that occurs when blood or fluid builds up in the space between the myocardium (the muscle of the heart) and the pericardium (the outer covering sac of the heart).
Alternative Names:
Tamponade; Pericardial tamponade
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
In this condition, blood or fluid collects within the pericardium. This prevents the ventricles from expanding fully. They cannot fill enough or pump blood. Cardiac tamponade can occur due to: End-stage lung cancer Heart surgery Wounds to the heart
Other potential causes include: Cardiac tamponade occurs in approximately 2 out of 10,000 people.
References:
|