While monitoring a patient with pericarditis, the nurse recognizes that the patient is at risk for cardiac tamponade if which of the following occurs?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cardiac tamponade occurs when fluid accumulates in the pericardial sac, causing compression of the heart and a decrease in cardiac output. Therefore, if the pericardial sac fluid increases, it can lead to cardiac tamponade. A decrease in cardiac output or an increase in cardiac workload may be seen in pericarditis, but these do not directly indicate a risk for cardiac tamponade. The formation of emboli is not typically associated with pericarditis or cardiac tamponade.

While Monitoring a Patient with Pericarditis, the Nurse Recognizes That