When assessing a patient with chest pain post-CABG, what is an indicator of pericarditis?

Distant heart sounds, also known as muffled heart sounds, can be indicative of pericarditis, particularly when associated with the development of pericardial effusion. After coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), patients may be at risk for various post-operative complications, including pericarditis. It arises from inflammation of the pericardium, which can lead to the accumulation of fluid around the heart. The fluid can dampen heart sounds, making them harder to detect upon auscultation.

Recognizing distant heart sounds is crucial in the clinical assessment because this sign can prompt further evaluation and management of pericarditis or associated effusions. Early detection is important to prevent complications such as cardiac tamponade, which can lead to hemodynamic instability.

The other choices relate to different clinical signs or conditions and do not specifically indicate pericarditis in this context. A diastolic murmur is more suggestive of issues such as valvular heart disease. An ineffective cough may indicate respiratory issues rather than cardiac, and persistent hypotension is a non-specific sign that could arise from a variety of causes, including but not limited to cardiac issues, without pinning it down specifically to pericarditis.