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Case Reports
. 2022 Feb 16;14(2):e22282.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.22282. eCollection 2022 Feb.

SARS-CoV-2 Complicated by a Large Hemorrhagic Pericardial Effusion

Nardine Abdelsayed  1 , Benjamin Mckinney  2 , Mary Carter  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

SARS-CoV-2 Complicated by a Large Hemorrhagic Pericardial Effusion

Nardine Abdelsayed et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), primarily a respiratory virus, has also presented with cardiac complications including myocarditis, myocardial infarction, and cardiac arrhythmias. Pericardial effusions are also emerging in the literature as a sequel to this viral infection. A case of a 57-year-old Hispanic female with SARS-CoV-2 infection two months prior with worsening dyspnea on exertion who was found to have a large hemorrhagic pericardial effusion with early tamponade physiology was presented in this article. This case highlights the rare complication and the importance of bedside echocardiogram in patients with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection who present with shortness of breath and other signs of pericardial effusion.

Keywords: cardiac tamponade; covid-19; hemorrhagic effusion; pericardial effusion; sars-cov-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

This research was supported (in whole or in part) by HCA Healthcare and or an HCA Healthcare-affiliated entity. The views expressed in this publication represent those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of HCA Healthcare or any of its affiliated entities.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Chest x-ray anterior-posterior (AP)/posterior-anterior (PA) with the yellow arrow showing an enlarged cardiac silhouette
Figure 2
Figure 2. Transthoracic echocardiogram with noticeable large effusion and the yellow arrow showing the right ventricular collapse
Figure 3
Figure 3. Transthoracic echocardiogram showing pericardial effusions with dimensions at the right upper corner
Figure 4
Figure 4. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the chest with the yellow arrow showing large circumferential pericardial effusion
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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