Raised international normalized ratio: an early warning for a late cardiac tamponade?
case_report · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 16928545.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
Seven consecutive cases of late cardiac tamponade after valvular surgery are reported; all were postoperatively treated with acenocoumarol and 6 had an international normalized ratio peak greater than 6.0 within 3 days preceding tamponade. It is suggested that during this excessive anticoagulation state a hemorrhagic event within the pericardial space precipitates the tamponade. In addition, it is proposed that all valve patients with a postoperative international normalized ratio peak greater than 5.0 within 6 weeks postoperatively should be considered for a transthoracic echocardiogram.
Medical subject headings
- Acenocoumarol
- Anticoagulants
- Cardiac Tamponade
- International Normalized Ratio
- Pericardial Effusion
- Postoperative Complications