[Peripartum cardiomyopathy--a case report]

Peripartum cardiomyopathy, a type of dilated cardiomyopathy of unknown origin, occurs in previously healthy women in the final month of pregnancy and up to 5 months after delivery. Although the incidence is low--less than 0.1% of pregnancies--morbidity and mortality rates are high at 5% to 32%. The etiology of left ventricular dysfunction is unknown. Diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy requires heightened awareness among multidisciplinary patient care teams and a high degree of suspicion. Confirmation involves the echocardiography reveals severe left ventricular failure. The outcome of peripartum cardiomyopathy is also highly variable. For some women, the clinical and echocardiographic status improves and sometimes returns to normal, whereas for others, the disease progresses to severe cardiac failure and even sudden cardiac death. Management of peripartum cardiomyopathy should aim first at improving heart-failure symptoms through conventional therapies, and then at administering targeted therapies.The prognosis is best when peripartum cardiomyopathy is diagnosed and treated early. Fortunately, despite a high risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies, many patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy recover within 3 to 6 months of disease onset. Future pregnancy is not recommended especially in patients with persistent left ventricular dysfunction because of the risk of dangerous complications.