Advertisement
Research Article| Volume 10, ISSUE 2, P157-161, March 1992

Download started.

Ok

Peripartum cardiomyopathy: A case report

      This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.

      Abstract

      Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a relatively rare form of acute heart failure. Onset is from the last trimester of pregnancy to 5 months postpartum. Diagnosis is made by excluding other causes of acute heart failure, such as infections or toxins, and by determining that the patient does not have an underlying cardiac problem that has been unmasked by pregnancy. Diagnosis in the last trimester is complicated by the fact that the early symptoms of this disorder may mimic the symptoms of normal pregnancy. PPCM must be considered in any patient who presents with new onset peripheral edema, dyspnea on exertion, or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea during late pregnancy or up to 5 months postpartum. Limited studies suggest that early and aggressive therapy is associated with a better outcome. Therapy is directed toward decreasing preload and improving cardiac function. Return of cardiac size to normal is associated with a better prognosis than continued cardiomegaly.

      Keywords

      To read this article in full you will need to make a payment

      Purchase one-time access:

      Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online access
      One-time access price info
      • For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
      • For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'

      Subscribe:

      Subscribe to Journal of Emergency Medicine
      Already a print subscriber? Claim online access
      Already an online subscriber? Sign in
      Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect

      References

        • Demakis J.G.
        • Rahimtoola S.H.
        Peripartum cardiomyopathy.
        Circulation. 1971; 44: 964-968
        • Demakis J.G.
        • Rahimtoola S.H.
        • Sutton G.C.
        • et al.
        Natural course of peripartum cardiomyopathy.
        Circulation. 1971; 44: 1053-1061
        • Veille J-C.
        Peripartum cardiomyopathies: a review.
        Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1984; 148: 805-818
        • O'Connell J.B.
        • Costanzo-Nordin M.R.
        • Subramanian R.
        • et al.
        Peripartum cardiomyopathy: clinical, hemodynamic, histologic and prognostic characteristics.
        J Am Coll Cardiol. 1986; 8: 52-56
        • Lee W.
        • Cotton D.B.
        Peripartum cardiomyopathy: current concepts and clinical management.
        Clin Obstet Gynecol. 1989; 32: 54-67
        • Walsh J.J.
        • Burch G.E.
        • Black W.C.
        • et al.
        Idiopathic myocardiopathy of the puerperium (postpartal heart disease).
        Circulation. 1965; 32: 19-31
        • Burch G.E.
        • Giles T.D.
        • Tsui C.Y.
        Postpartal cardiomyopathy.
        Cardiovasc Clin. 1972; 4: 270-282
        • Cunningham F.G.
        • Pritchard J.A.
        • Hankins G.D.V.
        • et al.
        Peripartum heart failure: idiopathic cardiomyopathy or compounding cardiovascular events?.
        Obstet Gynecol. 1986; 67: 157-168
        • Ribner H.S.
        • Silverman R.I.
        Peripartal cardiomyopathy.
        in: Elkayam U. Gleicher N. Cardiac Problems in Pregnancy: Diagnosis and Management of Maternal and Fetal Disease. 2nd ed. Alan R Liss, New York1990: 115-127
        • Homans D.C.
        Peripartum cardiomyopathy.
        N Engl J Med. 1985; 312: 1432-1437
        • Adler A.K.
        • Davis M.R.
        Peripartum cardiomyopathy: two case reports and a review.
        Obstet Gynecol Surv. 1986; 41: 675-682
        • Farber P.A.
        • Glasgow L.A.
        Viral myocarditis during pregnancy: encephalomyocarditis virus infection in mice.
        Am Heart J. 1970; 80: 96-102
        • Melvin K.R.
        • Richardson P.J.
        • Olsen E.G.J.
        • et al.
        Peripartum cardiomyopathy due to myocarditis.
        N Engl J Med. 1982; 307: 731-734
        • Sanderson J.E.
        • Olsen E.G.J.
        • Gatei D.
        Peripartum heart disease: an endomyocardial biopsy study.
        Br Heart J. 1986; 56: 285-291
        • Midei M.G.
        • DeMent S.H.
        • Feldman A.M.
        • et al.
        Peripartum myocarditis and cardiomyopathy.
        Circulation. 1990; 81: 922-928
        • Elkayam U.
        • Gleicher N.
        Hemodynamics and cardiac function during normal pregnancy and the puerperium.
        in: Elkayam U. Gleicher N. Cardiac Problems in Pregnancy: Diagnosis and Management of Maternal and Fetal Disease. 2nd ed. Alan R Liss, New York1990: 5-24
        • Raymond R.
        • Underwood D.A.
        • Moodie D.S.
        Cardiovascular problems in pregnancy.
        Cleve Clin J Med. 1987; 54: 95-104
      1. Pritchard J.A. MacDonald P.C. Gant N.F. Williams Obstetrics. 17th ed. Appleton-Century-Crofts, Norwalk, Connecticut1985: 194-195
        • Stuart K.L.
        Cardiomyopathy of pregnancy and the puerperium.
        Q J Med. 1968; 37: 463-478
        • Sanderson J.E.
        • Olsen E.G.J.
        • Gatei D.
        Peripartum heart disease: an endomyocardial biopsy study.
        Br Heart J. 1986; 56: 285-291
        • Hall J.G.
        • Pauli R.M.
        • Wilson K.M.
        Maternal and fetal sequelae of anticoagulation during pregnancy.
        Am J Med. 1980; 68: 122-140
        • Burch G.E.
        • McDonald C.D.
        • Walsh J.J.
        The effect of prolonged bed rest on postpartal cardiomyopathy.
        Am Heart J. 1971; 81: 186-201
        • Weiner C.P.
        Diagnosis and management of thromboembolic disease during pregnancy.
        Clin Obstet Gynecol. 1985; 28: 107-118
        • Pauerstein C.J.
        Hematological complications in pregnancy.
        in: Clinical Obstetrics. Wiley, New York1987: 614-618