What it means
The classic picture of cardiac tamponade, when fluid or blood fills the sac around the heart and squeezes it so it cannot fill. The neck veins bulge because blood backs up, the blood pressure falls because the heart pumps out less, and the heart sounds are muffled by the fluid. It is named after Claude Beck, an American heart surgeon.
For the nurse
Report it at once: tamponade is an emergency. Expect the provider to drain the fluid with a needle (pericardiocentesis). After heart surgery or chest trauma, watch for these signs, and for a sudden drop in chest tube drainage.
At a glance
| Also written | Beck's triad |
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Related terms
hypotension
Blood pressure lower than normal, generally below 90/60 mm Hg in an adult.
cardiac output
The amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.
pulsus paradoxus
A fall of more than 10 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure during breathing in.