50  Pericardial Effusion

Related: Cardiac Tamponade (Chapter 51)

• Amount of fluid (in mL) that is normally within the pericardial space: 15 to 50 mL
• EKG: Electrical alternans
  • the amplitudes of the QRS complexes vary from beat to beat
• CXR: enlarged ‘water-bottle’ heart

50.1 Electrical alternans

• the amplitudes of the QRS complexes vary from beat to beat
• seen if large pericardial effusion