Resumen

NAVARRO-ULLOA, Orlando D. et al. Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Rev. Colomb. Cardiol. [online]. 2017, vol.24, n.6, pp.622-622. ISSN 0120-5633.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rccar.2017.04.009.

Pericardial effusion is defined as the accumulation of more than 50 ml of fluid in the pericardiac space. Its origin is very diverse since it can be an idiopathic cause or be due to primary diseases of the pericardium, such as pericarditis of any origin. It can also be due to systemic diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction and contained cardiac rupture, as well as due to heart surgery, intra-pericardiac haemorrhage, metabolic diseases, serous transudation (anasarca), and chylopericardium, among others. The diagnostic work-up of pericardial effusion must always be guided by the local epidemiology, and requires a high clinical suspicion. When the pericardial effusion is complicated by cardiac tamponade, it constitutes a medical emergency that requires immediate identification and treatment.

Four cases are presented on patients with pericardiac effusions associated with tuberculosis, myxoedema, uraemia, and lupus, and who developed cardiac tamponade.

Palabras clave : Pericardium; Pericarditis; Cardiac tamponade; Echocardiography; Heart.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf )