Clinical manifestations of blunt cardiac injury

Abstract

Life-threatening cardiac emergencies following blunt chest trauma demand accurate assessments and rapid interventions to prevent unnecessary complications and death. Critical care practitioners must recognize the subtle clues that indicate cardiac trauma and the decompensation that occurs if the injuries are not recognized early. Blunt cardiac trauma can manifest as myocardial concussion with an associated low mortality or as cardiac rupture with an excessive mortality. Traditional diagnostic laboratory studies such as cardiac enzymes have proven ineffective in the trauma patient population. Therefore, the role of the critical care practitioner is centered on assessing patients for the clinical manifestations of decreased myocardial performance, particularly those patients with limited cardiac reserve.