Cardiac tamponade is a condition caused by too much fluid in the
space between the heart and the sac that surrounds it, called
the pericardium. This fluid collection can put weight and
pressure on the heart, which means that it cannot expand
properly and so it does not fill with normal amounts of blood.
Cardiac tamponade is an emergency condition. The inability of
the heart to pump enough blood may eventually lead to heart
failure. Last Revised: April 5, 2011 Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine &
Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology To
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