Beck's triad consists of hypotension, jugular venous distention, and which other finding?

Beck's triad consists of hypotension, jugular venous distention, and which other finding?

• A. Muffled heart sounds
• B. Pulsus paradoxus
• C. Edema
• D. Tachycardia

Answer: (A)

Beck's triad signals cardiac tamponade from pericardial effusion. The three findings—hypotension from reduced ventricular filling, jugular venous distention from elevated venous pressure, and muffled heart sounds from the pericardial fluid dampening sound transmission—together point to a compromised, fluid-filled pericardium limiting how the heart can fill and pump. While tachycardia is a common compensatory response and pulsus paradoxus can be seen with tamponade, the defining third component of the triad is muffled heart sounds. Edema isn’t part of this triad and doesn’t specifically indicate tamponade.

Beck's triad signals cardiac tamponade from pericardial effusion. The three findings—hypotension from reduced ventricular filling, jugular venous distention from elevated venous pressure, and muffled heart sounds from the pericardial fluid dampening sound transmission—together point to a compromised, fluid-filled pericardium limiting how the heart can fill and pump. While tachycardia is a common compensatory response and pulsus paradoxus can be seen with tamponade, the defining third component of the triad is muffled heart sounds. Edema isn’t part of this triad and doesn’t specifically indicate tamponade.