NREMT Paramedic Practice

What type of heart failure is most similar in signs and symptoms to a myocardial rupture?

1. Systolic heart failure

2. Chronic heart failure

3. Congenital heart failure

4. Cardiac tamponade

The correct answer is: Cardiac tamponade

The type of heart failure that is most similar in signs and symptoms to a myocardial rupture is cardiac tamponade. This condition occurs when fluid accumulates in the pericardial space, leading to increased pressure on the heart, which restricts its ability to fill properly during diastole. Symptoms of cardiac tamponade can include shortness of breath, tachycardia, and hypotension, similar to those seen in a myocardial rupture where there is a sudden loss of effective cardiac output due to the rupture of the myocardial wall, leading to significant changes in hemodynamics. In contrast, systolic heart failure primarily features a significant reduction in the heart's pumping ability and may present with symptoms such as fatigue and decreased exercise tolerance, but the acute hemodynamic instability typically seen in myocardial rupture is not as pronounced. Chronic heart failure encompasses a broader range of long-term symptoms and may not present as acutely as a myocardial rupture does. Congenital heart failure refers to heart failure resulting from structural heart defects present at birth, which can lead to various symptoms over time, though they again might not closely mimic the immediate effects of myocardial rupture.