Beck's Triad includes which signs?

• A. Hypotension, Jugular venous distention, muffled heart sounds
• B. Chest pain, diaphoresis, ECG changes
• C. Shortness of breath, edema, crackles
• D. Cyanosis, tachypnea, clubbing

Answer: (A)

Beck's Triad is a classic clue for cardiac tamponade, where fluid in the pericardial sac compresses the heart and impairs filling, reducing cardiac output. The triad consists of low blood pressure (hypotension) due to decreased stroke volume, distended neck veins (jugular venous distention) from elevated venous pressure, and muffled or distant heart sounds caused by the fluid muffling the heart’s sounds. This combination specifically points to tamponade rather than primary lung or coronary problems.

Other symptom clusters fit different conditions: chest pain with diaphoresis and ECG changes are typical of myocardial infarction; shortness of breath with edema and crackles suggests heart failure or pulmonary edema; cyanosis with tachypnea and clubbing points toward hypoxemia or chronic lung disease.