Hemodynamically unstable pericardial effusion in the Intensive Cardiac Unit: prospective study.

The authors have conducted a prospective investigation on 15 patients with hemodynamically unstable pericardial effusion (main criteria: echocardiographic signs of various degrees of right ventricular diastolic collapse and clinical instability) hospitalized in the Intensive Cardiac Unit (1.97% of all patients) for one year and have compared the results with literature data. The causes of pericardial effusion were neoplasms, infections, rupture of heart of aorta and hypothyroidism. Investigation revealed the most frequent findings: symptoms (dyspnea, retrosternal pain, loading intolerance, nonproductive cough), clinical signs (soft heart sounds, changes in pulmonal findings, fever, jugular venous distention, tachycardia, arterial hypotension and hepatomegaly), laboratory changes (elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leukocytosis), ECG changes (ST-T abnormality, microvoltage, tachycardia) and chest X-rays changes (enlarged cardiac silhouette, pleural effusion). Echocardiography found an average width of pericardial effusion of 2.5 cm (+/- 1.2), frequently thickened pericardium and changes in heart motions. The most used drugs in therapy were indomethacin, antibiotics, analgesics and corticosteroids. In three patients pericardiocentesis, and in two pericardiectomy were performed. Two patients died, 13 patients were discharged from the ICU with an improved health condition. Literature data on this condition are either lacking, or differ from the above findings.