Ultrasound for critical care physicians: the big squeeze

• Main Authors: Tauseef Siddiqi, Seth Assar, Joshua Malo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Arizona Thoracic Society 2014-04-01
• Series: Southwest Journal of Pulmonary and Critical Care
• Subjects: cardiac tamponade; cardiomegaly; pericardial effusion; malignancy; cancer; inferior vena cava; hepatic vein; flow reversal; right ventricular collapse; metastasis;
• Online Access: http://www.swjpcc.com/critical-care/2014/4/4/ultrasound-for-critical-care-physicians-the-big-squeeze.html

No abstract available. Article truncated after first page. A 57 year-old man without significant past medical history presented with difficulty swallowing and pleuritic chest pain. He was undergoing evaluation for his dysphagia when he was noted to be tachycardic and hypotensive shortly after admission to the medical-surgical ward. His initial chest x-ray revealed bilateral pleural effusions and what appeared to be cardiomegaly. A cardiac ultrasound was performed (Figure 1). What is the cause of the patient's tachycardia and hypotension? 1. Aortic dissection; 2. Cardiac tamponade; 3. Cardiomyopathy; 4. Mitral insufficiency; 5. Pulmonary embolus ...