Final answer:
Cardiac tamponade, also known as pericardial tamponade, results when excess fluid accumulates in the pericardial cavity, compressing the heart and hindering its ability to fill with blood, potentially leading to congestive heart failure or death without prompt treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The condition that results from excess fluid in the pericardial cavity compressing the heart and reducing the ventricles’ capacity to fill with blood is known as cardiac tamponade or pericardial tamponade. This serious medical condition occurs when fluid, often blood, accumulates in the pericardial space, which is the cavity between the heart and the pericardium that encases it. The heart must relax in order to fill with blood for the next contraction, but the excess fluid exerts pressure and prevents full relaxation.
Over time, this can significantly reduce the volume of blood ejected with each heartbeat. Common causes include myocardial rupture, pericarditis, and complications from cardiac surgery. Rapid treatment is critical, often involving the insertion of drainage tubes to remove the fluid. Untreated, cardiac tamponade can lead to congestive heart failure or death.