A nurse is assessing a client who has a new diagnosis of pericarditis. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as a manifestation of cardiac tamponade?

Rationale: A. Fever: While fever may occur in pericarditis due to inflammation or infection, it is not specific to cardiac tamponade. It reflects a systemic inflammatory response rather than a mechanical complication like fluid accumulation compressing the heart. B. Atrial fibrillation: Atrial fibrillation may develop in some cardiac conditions, including pericarditis, but it is not a hallmark feature of cardiac tamponade. It does not directly reflect the hemodynamic compromise seen with tamponade. C. Paradoxical pulse: Paradoxical pulse (pulsus paradoxus) is a key sign of cardiac tamponade. It refers to an exaggerated decrease in systolic blood pressure during inspiration, caused by restricted ventricular filling from fluid accumulation in the pericardial sac, leading to reduced cardiac output. D. Pericardial friction rub: A pericardial friction rub is a classic finding in acute pericarditis due to inflamed pericardial surfaces rubbing together, but it is not typically heard in cardiac tamponade, where fluid accumulation muffles heart sounds.