Ritodrine-induced pulmonary edema unmasking underlying peripartum cardiomyopathy

Pulmonary edema was induced by an increase in the dose of ritodrine in a patient receiving the drug for 28 days because of preterm contractions. After initial therapy, the cardiologic evaluation revealed peripartum cardiomyopathy. This is the first report of ritodrine causing pulmonary edema by unmasking underlying asymptomatic cardiomyopathy. This may have been the cause of some of the previously reported cases of ritodrine-induced heart failure.