↳Cardiac tamponade diagnosis — when does pulsus paradoxus rule in and how urgent is pericardiocentesis?
This presentation is consistent with cardiac tamponade in the setting of malignant pericardial effusion. The patient has hypotension (88/60), elevated JVP, and muffled heart sounds—i.e., Beck’s triad, though it is classically described and not always complete in all cases. Additional supportive findings include pulsus …