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Clinical features

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Symptoms include:

  • fatigue
  • breathlessness is not severe and, characteristically, occurs on exertion and not at rest
  • swelling of abdomen and ankles - ascites is more prominent feature than peripheral oedema

Signs include:

  • small pulse:
    • pulsus paradoxus
    • atrial fibrillation
    • tachycardia
  • Kussmaul's sign (a raised JVP with inspiration); dominant y descent and trough
  • cardiac impulses: barely palpable; characteristic is systolic retraction at the apex
  • pericardial knock (loud-high pitched S3) following S2
  • hepatomegaly
  • ascites
  • ankle swelling

Reference:

  • Braunwald E (2011). Heart Disease - A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine,WB Saunders.

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