The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 121, Issue 9 , Pages 774-776 , September 2008

Three's Company: An Unusual Clue

  • Zachary D. Goldberger, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor
    • Corresponding Author InformationRequests for reprints should be addressed to Zachary D. Goldberger, MD, University of Michigan Health System, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, CVC Cardiovascular Medicine, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, SPC 5853, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
    • ,
  • Anna S. Loge, MD

      Affiliations

    • University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle

References 

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  2. Spodick DH. Acute cardiac tamponade. N Engl J Med. 2003;349:684–690
  3. McGee S. Evidence Based Physical Diagnosis. In: Philadelphia: Saunders; 2001;p. 569
  4. Kahlert P, Katz MA, Buck T, Erbel R. Electrical alternans due to cardiac tamponade. Herz. 2005;30:151–152
  5. Littmann D, Spodick DH. Total electrical alternation in pericardial disease. Circulation. 1958;17:912–917
  6. Littmann D. Alternation of the heart. Circulation. 1963;27:280–291
  7. McGregor M, Baskind E. Electric alternans in pericardial effusion. Circulation. 1955;11:837–843
  8. Rigney DR, Goldberger AL. Nonlinear mechanics of the heart's swinging during pericardial effusion. Am J Physiol. 1989;257:H1292–H1305
  9. Spodick DH. Electric alternation of the heart: its relation to the kinetics and physiology of the heart during cardiac tamponade. Am J Cardiol. 1962;10:155–165
  10. Mayosi BM, Burgess LJ, Doubell AF. Tuberculous pericarditis. Circulation. 2005;112:3608–3816
  11. Schrire V. Experience with pericarditis at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town: an analysis of one hundred and sixty cases studied over a six-year period. S Afr Med J. 1959;33:810–817
  12. Strang JI, Kakaza HH, Gibson DG, et al. Controlled clinical trial of complete open surgical drainage and of prednisolone in treatment of tuberculous pericardial effusion in Transkei. Lancet. 1988;2:759–764
  13. Jain S, Sharma N, Varma S, et al. Profile of cardiac tamponade in the medical emergency ward of a North Indian hospital. Can J Cardiol. 1999;15:671–675
  14. Cherian G, Habashy AG, Uthaman B, et al. Detection and follow-up of mediastinal lymph node enlargement in tuberculous pericardial effusions using computed tomography. Am J Med. 2003;114:319–322

 Julia H. Indik, MD, PhD, Section Editor

 Disclosures: There are no conflicts of interest or financial disclosures.

PII: S0002-9343(08)00062-4

doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2008.01.023

The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 121, Issue 9 , Pages 774-776 , September 2008

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