Kussmaul's sign

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Not to be confused with Kussmaul breathing.
Kussmaul's sign
SpecialtyCardiology

Kussmaul's sign is a paradoxical rise in jugular venous pressure (JVP) on inspiration, or a failure in the appropriate fall of the JVP with inspiration. It can be seen in some forms of heart disease and is usually indicative of limited right ventricular filling due to right heart dysfunction.

Pathophysiology

Ordinarily the JVP falls with inspiration due to reduced pressure in the expanding

right ventricle due to a poorly compliant myocardium or pericardium. This impaired filling causes the increased blood flow to back up into the venous system, causing the jugular vein distention (JVD) and is seen clinically in the internal jugular veins becoming more readily visible.[citation needed
]

Causes

The differential diagnoses of Kussmaul's sign includes

right-sided heart failure.[citation needed
]

With cardiac tamponade, jugular veins are distended and typically show a prominent x descent and an absent y descent as opposed to patients with constrictive pericarditis (prominent x and y descent), see Beck's triad.[1]

Other possible causes of Kussmaul's sign include:[citation needed]

History

Kussmaul's sign is named after the

Adolph Kussmaul (1822-1902).[3][4] He is also credited with describing Kussmaul breathing.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Disorders of the Cardiovascular System; Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 17th, and Self-assessment & Board Review cardiovascular system questions 15, 29
  2. PMID 2816746
    .
  3. Who Named It?
  4. ^ A. Kussmaul. Über schwielige Mediastino-Perikarditis und den paradoxen Puls. Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, 1873, 10: 433-435, 445-449 and 461-464.
  5. Who Named It?
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