Which statement about malignant pericardial effusion is true?

Which statement about malignant pericardial effusion is true?

• A. It Occurs in the Peritoneal Cavity
• B. Fluid accumulation in the pericardial sac impairs cardiac function
• C. Chest Pain is Not Associated
• D. It Does Not Affect the Heart

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that malignant pericardial effusion involves the buildup of fluid in the pericardial sac, and this excess fluid raises pressure around the heart. As the pericardial pressure increases, the heart has less room to fill during diastole. That impaired filling lowers the amount of blood the heart can pump each beat, reducing cardiac output and potentially leading to tamponade symptoms. This is why the statement describing the fluid in the pericardial sac as impairing cardiac function is the true one. The other points don’t fit because the fluid sits in the pericardial space, not in the peritoneal cavity; chest pain can be present with malignant effusion and tamponade; and the condition certainly affects the heart by restricting its filling, not leaving it uninfluenced.

The key idea is that malignant pericardial effusion involves the buildup of fluid in the pericardial sac, and this excess fluid raises pressure around the heart. As the pericardial pressure increases, the heart has less room to fill during diastole. That impaired filling lowers the amount of blood the heart can pump each beat, reducing cardiac output and potentially leading to tamponade symptoms. This is why the statement describing the fluid in the pericardial sac as impairing cardiac function is the true one.

The other points don’t fit because the fluid sits in the pericardial space, not in the peritoneal cavity; chest pain can be present with malignant effusion and tamponade; and the condition certainly affects the heart by restricting its filling, not leaving it uninfluenced.