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Atraumatic hemopericardium in a patient receiving warfarin therapy for a pulmonary embolus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Peter G. Katis
Peter G. Katis*
Affiliation:
Emergency Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, Ont., Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto
*
Toronto General Hospital, R Fraser Elliot Building, GS-434, 200 Elizabeth St., Toronto ON M5G 2C4; 416 340-3856, fax 416 340-4300, peter.katis@uhn.on.ca

Abstract

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Acute pericardial tamponade is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires immediate treatment. This report describes a patient who presented to the emergency department with an acute hemopericardium and echocardiographic evidence of cardiac tamponade following the initiation of warfarin therapy for a recently diagnosed pulmonary embolism. The association between cardiac tamponade, oral anticoagulation and pulmonary thromboembolic disease is briefly discussed.

Keywords

cardiac tamponadeoral anticoagulantspulmonary embolismhemopericardium
Type
Case Report • Observations de cas
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , May 2005 , pp. 168 - 170
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2005

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