Episode Details

CardioNerds cofounders, Dan Ambinder joins Drs. Aishwarya Pastapur, Oyinkansola Osobamiro, and Rafik Issa from the University of Michigan for drinks in Ann Arbor. They discuss the following case of pericardial decompression syndrome. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Brett Wanamaker. Notes were drafted by Dr. Aishwarya Pastapur and Dr. Rafik Issa. The episode audio was engineered by CardioNerds Intern student Dr. Atefeh Ghorbanzadeh.

A woman in her 50s with a past medical history of stage IV lung cancer (with metastatic involvement of the liver, bone, and brain), previous saddle pulmonary emboli, pericardial effusion, and malignant pleural effusions presents with dyspnea. She was found to have a pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology relieved by pericardiocentesis. We discuss the management of cardiac tamponade, indications for pericardiocentesis, how to monitor for post-pericardiocentesis complications, and what to keep on your differential diagnosis for decompensation after pericardiocentesis. We discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of pericardial decompression syndrome.

“To study the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all.” – Sir William Osler. CardioNerds thank the patients and their loved ones whose stories teach us the Art of Medicine and support our Mission to Democratize Cardiovascular Medicine.

Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values.

US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here.

Listen Now