…tamponade The pericardial space (cavity) always contains a small amount of serous fluid which acts as a lubricant that prevents friction during ventricular contraction and…

…diseases: effusion and tamponade A long series of conditions can affect the pericardium (pericardium). The most common of these are acute pericarditis (perimyocarditis), constrictive pericarditis…

…of breathing, level of consciousness and PEF improve at the same time. Acute severe asthma is characterised by bronchospasm, mucosal oedema and mucus plugging. Expiratory…

…shock, serious arrhythmia or acute heart failure. Routine opening of a persistently occluded infarct related artery in a stable and asymptomatic patient is by contrast…

…messages Two things set the COPD exacerbation apart from many other causes of acute dyspnoea: oxygen must be titrated cautiously and the blood gas determines…

Myocardial ischemia and infarction Definition and pathophysiology In acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD), revascularization may be directed exclusively at the…

Indications Acute myocardial infarction. Unstable coronary artery disease. Stable angina pectoris. Secondary prophylaxis to prevent recurrence of cerebrovascular diseases, such as: Transient ischemic attacks (TIA…

Procedurer The most serious transfusion accidents rarely stem from laboratory errors but from the wrong blood being given to the wrong patient — a mislabelled tube…

Echocardiography Endocarditis Endocarditis implies that a bacterial infection engages the heart valves and this is a serious condition. The focus of infection on the flap…

…Skin symptoms may be absent, and circulatory shock does not have to be present for the condition to be serious [1]. Intramuscular adrenaline (epinephrine) is…