Peripartum cardiomyopathy: a challenge for cardiologist

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that occurs in previously healthy women during the last month of pregnancy and up to 5-6 months postpartum. The etiology and pathophysiology remain uncertain, although recent observations strongly suggest the specific role of prolactin cleavage secondary to unbalanced peri/postpartum oxidative stress. PPCM is a diagnosis of exclusion, as it shares many clinical characteristics with other forms of systolic heart failure secondary to cardiomyopathy. The management of heart failure requires a multidisciplinary approach during pregnancy, considering the possible adverse effects on the fetus. After delivery, the treatment is in accordance with the current guidelines for heart failure. Some novel therapies, such as prolactin blockade, are proposed to either prevent or treat the patients with PPCM. A critical individual counseling concerning the risks of subsequent pregnancy must be considered. Because of its rare incidence, geographical differences, and heterogeneous presentation, PPCM continues to be incompletely characterized and understood. For all these reasons, PPCM remains a challenge in clinical practice, so future epidemiological trials and national registries are needed to learn more about the disease.