Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine (Aug 2018)
Alteplase Causing Cardiac Tamponade after Recent Cardiac Pacemaker Placement
Abstract
A 56-year-old female presented to the emergency department with evolving cardiac tamponade after receiving alteplase for acute ischemic stroke. This is the first case report of cardiac tamponade from thrombolytics in the setting of recent pacemaker placement. Point-of-care ultrasound was used to make the diagnosis quickly and expedite the patient to the operating room where a pericardial window was performed.