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Previous Volume 345:1576 November 22, 2001 Number 21 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: In the Clinical Problem-Solving article by Nallamothu et al. (Aug. 2 issue),¹ the discussant rightly points to the need for a rapid diagnosis of cardiac tamponade. However, among all the complex and costly tests listed, there is no mention of a very simple, quick, noninvasive, low-cost test: determination of the presence or absence of pulsus paradoxus. A positive result would have indicated the presence of fluid in the pericardial cavity. The test was apparently not performed in this case.

Carlo Gambacorti-Passerini, M.D.
National Cancer Institute
20133 Milan, Italy
gambacorti@istitutotumori.mi.it

References

1. Nallamothu BK, Saint S, Kolias TJ, Eagle KA. Of nicks and time. N Engl J Med 2001;345:359-63. 

To the Editor: We agree . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

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