Cardiac tamponade is characterized by which finding?

• A. Increased breath sounds and clear lungs
• B. Widened pulse pressure with tachypnea
• C. Excessive fluid in the pericardial sac causing hypotension and muffled heart sounds
• D. Tracheal deviation with unilateral hyperresonance

Answer: (C)

Tamponade happens when fluid accumulates in the pericardial sac and presses on the heart, preventing it from filling properly during diastole. The result is reduced stroke volume and a drop in blood pressure. The fluid around the heart muffles the heart sounds, so muffled heart sounds are a classic finding. Clinically you often see a fast heart rate and a narrow pulse pressure due to the reduced cardiac output, and the neck veins can be distended from impaired venous return.

This option captures the essential picture: excess pericardial fluid leading to hypotension and muffled heart sounds. The other descriptions point to different problems—lungs sounding clearer with increased breath sounds isn’t typical for tamponade; a widened pulse pressure isn’t characteristic because tamponade usually narrows the pulse pressure; and tracheal deviation with unilateral hyperresonance points to a tension pneumothorax, not tamponade.