Michael Pfeffer

Cardiac tamponade I. What every physician needs to know. Cardiac tamponade occurs when the heart becomes compressed by fluid or gas within the pericardial space, leading to life-threatening cardiogenic shock. The pericardial space can accommodate a wide range of volumes depending on the rate at which fluid accumulates and the stiffness of the pericardium. As…

Aortic dissection I. What every physician needs to know. Aortic dissection is a rare disease in which high pressure arterial blood is allowed to penetrate into the layers of the aorta through a defect in the aortic intima. It carries a high mortality due to a lack of distinguishing features impeding rapid diagnosis and the…