Which of the following factors would be altered as a result of cardiac tamponade (fluid accumulation in the pericardial cavity)?
A) Preload
B) Stroke volume
C) End-diastolic volume
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cardiac tamponade leads to increased pressure in the pericardial cavity, which restricts the heart's expansion, thereby affecting preload (the initial stretching of the cardiac myocytes prior to contraction), stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped by the left ventricle of the heart in one contraction), and end-diastolic volume (the volume of blood in the right and/or left ventricle at end load or filling in (diastole) or the amount of blood in the ventricles just before systole).

Which of the Following Factors Would Be Altered as a Result