Pericardial tamponade results in:

• A. Enlargement of the heart due to muscle hypertrophy
• B. Compression of the heart caused by fluid collected in the sac around the heart
• C. Blockage of coronary arteries
• D. Inflammation of the pericardium

Answer: (B)

Tamponade is a pressure problem: when fluid collects in the pericardial sac, it presses on the heart and blunts its ability to fill during diastole. That impaired filling lowers end-diastolic volume, reduces stroke volume and cardiac output, and leads to shock. The description that fits this scenario best is compression of the heart caused by fluid around it. The other ideas describe different processes—hypertrophy enlarges the heart muscle, a coronary blockage causes ischemia, and inflammation of the pericardium is pericarditis—none of which produce the external compression that defines tamponade. In practice, you’d assess for signs of poor perfusion and be prepared for rapid transport and supportive care (oxygen, monitoring, and readiness for procedures at a hospital) since tamponade is a life-threatening emergency.