A nurse is assessing a client who is postoperative following a coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The nurse should identify that which of the following findings is an early indication of cardiac tamponade?

A. Widening pulse pressure. This is typically associated with conditions like increased intracranial pressure or severe aortic regurgitation, not cardiac tamponade. Tamponade usually results in narrowed pulse pressure. B. Coarse lung sounds. These may indicate fluid overload or pulmonary congestion, but they are not specific to cardiac tamponade and occur later or in different conditions. C. Muffled heart sounds. This is a classic early sign of cardiac tamponade, caused by fluid accumulation in the pericardial sac, which dampens heart sounds on auscultation. It is part of Beck’s triad (muffled heart sounds, hypotension, and jugular vein distention). D. Decreased jugular vein distention. In cardiac tamponade, jugular vein distention increases due to impaired venous return to the heart. Decreased JVD would be an unexpected finding in this condition.