Which of the following is NOT a symptom of cardiac tamponade?

Cardiac tamponade is a condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial space, which exerts pressure on the heart and impairs its ability to fill during diastole. The symptoms of cardiac tamponade reflect the increased intrapericardial pressure and the resulting hemodynamic compromise.

Pulsus paradoxus is a classic finding in cardiac tamponade, where there is a greater than normal drop in blood pressure during inspiration. This occurs because the increased pressure in the pericardial space affects the heart's ability to expand and fill with blood. Jugular venous distention (JVD) is also common, as it reflects elevated central venous pressure due to impaired filling of the heart and can occur in conditions where venous return is obstructed.

Muffled heart sounds are another hallmark of cardiac tamponade, resulting from the fluid dampening the sound of the heart's contractions as it beats within the restrictive pericardial space.

In contrast, a pericardial knock is not associated with cardiac tamponade. This phenomenon is indicative of constrictive pericarditis, not fluid accumulation. It presents as an early diastolic sound due to the abrupt halt of the heart in a rigid peric