Cardiac Tamponade and Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac tamponade is most commonly caused by pericarditis, acute aortic dissection, or cardiac trauma / rupture.
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) enables rapid diagnosis and treatment of cardiac tamponade, even in a prehospital setting.
Case Report
An emergency medical team was dispatched after a 65-year-old man was reported to be experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, pallor, and cyanosis since morning.
Upon arrival, the team found the patient sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed, and unconscious.
The paramedics diagnosed cardiac arrest with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
They performed manual chest compressions, endotracheal intubation, and mechanical ventilation with end-tidal carbon dioxide values of 17–22 mm Hg.
Authors: Marcin Mirek, Dorota Sobczyk
DOI: 10.20452/jmr.2025.20006, Published online: October 10, 2025
Author's summary: Cardiac tamponade can cause cardiac arrest.