Left Ventricular Diastolic Collapse in the Absence of Cardiac Tamponade

Left ventricular diastolic collapse has been presented in the literature as a sign of cardiac tamponade in the setting of pulmonary hypertension. We report the case of a patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, and associated pulmonary hypertension and pericardial effusion. Left ventricular diastolic collapse was present, but tamponade was not, as judged by failure of pericardio‐centesis to improve cardiac index or symptoms. We suggest that left ventricular diastolic collapse occurred because left ventricular filling was impaired by the hemodynamic consequences of pulmonary hypertension, not by extrinsic compression. Left ventricular diastolic collapse is not pathognomonic for cardiac tamponade in the setting of pulmonary hypertension.