Cor Vasa 2017, 59(3):e272-e276 | DOI: 10.1016/j.crvasa.2016.12.013

Peripartum cardiomyopathy - A case report and concise review

Lucie Karafiátová^*, Marie Lazárová, Miloš Táborský

I. interní klinika - kardiologická, Lékařská fakulta Univerzity Palackého a Fakultní nemocnice Olomouc, Olomouc, Česká republika

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is rare, but-life threatening disease, which affects women in the last month of pregnancy or in the first five months after delivery. Its incidence is variable, ranging from 1 in 1300 to 1 in 15,000 pregnancies and is more prevalent in Haiti and certain parts of Africa. Risk factors include multiparity, advanced maternal age, multiple pregnancies, pre-eclampsia, chronic hypertension, smoking, alcoholism, malnutrition, and long-term tocolysis.
Our case report describes a case of a patient, who was admitted for shortness of breath rapidly worsening into asthma cardiale closely after spontaneous delivery. As the cause of the symptoms was diagnosed heart failure due to peripartum cardiomyopathy. The treatment was symptomatic by diuretics, inotropes and ACEIs. The mechanical cardiac support was not required. The signs of heart failure subsided within three weeks, in subsequent period the left ventricular ejection fraction turned to its previous level as well. This positive state lasts during the two-year follow-up till now.
There is a discussion of diagnostic, treatment and prognosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy in the article.

Keywords: Cardiomyopathy; Heart failure; Peripartum cardiomyopathy; Pregnancy

Received: May 11, 2016; Accepted: December 20, 2016; Published: June 1, 2017  Show citation