Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Neonatal Cardiac Diagnostics with Echocardiography-Derived Blood Speckle Imaging
Published on: December 22, 2023
Reverse Apical Ballooning Echocardiographic Pattern in Eclampsia-Related Cardiomyopathy
Stephen J Gleich1, David W Barbara, Katherine W Arendt
1From the *Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota; †Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota; and ‡Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota.
Eclampsia in pregnancy can cause stress-induced cardiomyopathy, a distinct heart condition from peripartum cardiomyopathy. Echocardiography aids differentiation for appropriate management of pregnant patients with heart failure.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Obstetrics
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Pregnancy-induced heart failure requires careful management for both mother and fetus.
- Eclampsia, a severe complication of pregnancy, presents significant cardiovascular risks.
Observation:
- A 19-year-old primigravida developed eclampsia at 29 weeks' gestation.
- Echocardiography revealed stress-induced cardiomyopathy with a reduced ejection fraction (35%) and a reverse takotsubo pattern.
- The patient underwent urgent cesarean delivery under general anesthesia.
Findings:
- Post-delivery echocardiography showed complete normalization of ejection fraction (56%) within 4 weeks.
- This eclampsia-related cardiomyopathy is distinguished from peripartum cardiomyopathy.
- Echocardiography is crucial for differentiating these cardiac conditions.
Implications:
- Accurate diagnosis of cardiomyopathy in pregnancy is vital for guiding clinical management.
- Differentiating stress-induced cardiomyopathy from peripartum cardiomyopathy impacts patient counseling and prognosis.
- Early identification and management can lead to favorable maternal cardiac recovery.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for...
Aortic Regurgitation II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias

