Tuberculous pericarditis physical examination

Patients with tuberculous pericarditis usually appear Cachectic. They may have fever, tachycardia, pulsus paradoxus, hypotension, tachypnea, JVP distension, kussmaul’s sign, lymphadenopathy, ankle edama, pleura dullness, decreased breath sounds, pericardial knock, pericardial rub, fine/coarse crackles upon auscultation of the lung, hepatomegaly, ascites, distant heart sounds, displaced point of maximal impulse (PMI) suggestive of cardiomegaly, friction rub, and S4.

• Patients with tuberculous pericarditis usually appear Cachectic.^[1][2]

• Fever
• Tachycardia
• Pulsus paradoxus
• Hypotension (in cardiac tamponade)
• Tachypnea

• Skin examination of patients with tuberculous pericarditis is usually normal.

• HEENT examination of patients with tuberculous pericarditis is usually normal.

• Jugular venous distension
• Kussmaul’s sign
• Lymphadenopathy

• Pleura dullness
• Decreased breath sounds
• Pericardial knock
• Pericardial rub
• Fine/coarse crackles upon auscultation of the lung

• Distant heart sounds
• Displaced point of maximal impulse (PMI) suggestive of cardiomegaly
• Friction rub
• S4
• Gallops
• A high/low grade early/late systolic murmur / diastolic murmur best heard at the base/apex/(specific valve region) may be heard using the bell/diaphgram of the stethoscope

• Hepatomegaly
• Ascites

• Back examination of patients with tuberculous pericarditis is usually normal.

• Genitourinary examination of patients with tuberculous pericarditis is usually normal.

• Neuromuscular examination of patients with tuberculous pericarditis is usually normal.

• Pitting edema of the lower extremities

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