Beck's triad consists of hypotension, muffled heart sounds, and which finding?

• A. Jugular venous distension
• B. Tachycardia
• C. Fever
• D. Peripheral edema

Answer: (A)

Beck's triad points to cardiac tamponade, where fluid in the pericardial space restricts the heart’s filling. The trio consists of low blood pressure from reduced preload and cardiac output, muffled heart sounds because the fluid dampens sound transmission to the chest wall, and elevated jugular venous pressure shown as jugular venous distension due to impaired venous return to the heart. Tachycardia can occur as the body tries to compensate, but fever and peripheral edema are not part of the classic triad. Therefore, the missing finding is jugular venous distension.