Echocardiographic findings in severe paradoxical pulse due to pulmonary embolization.

A 47 year old man with acute pulmonary embolism had severe pulsus paradoxicus in the absence of pericardial disease. Echocardiography demonstrated inspiratory failure of the aortic valve to open, a decreases in left ventricular cavity size and a decrease in mitral valve diastolic excursion.