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Peripartum heart failure associated with prolonged tocolytic therapy
M B Lampert1, J Hibbard, L Weinert
1Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, IL 60637.
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
|February 1, 1993
Abstract:
beta-Adrenergic receptor agonist tocolysis has been reported to cause noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. We report an association between chronic terbutaline therapy and cardiomyopathy in peripartum women. Among 15 gravidas who had peripartum heart failure, 4 had received prolonged terbutaline tocolysis. Although those four patients had completely normalized ventricular function, only 7 of the 11 others recovered. We suggest that gravidas receiving long-term beta-sympathomimetic tocolysis undergo close evaluation of cardiac function.