Open AccessA review of peripartum cardiomyopathy
Author(s) -
Rachael James P
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1742-1241
pISSN - 1368-5031
DOI - 10.1111/j.1368-5031.2004.00083.x
Subject(s) - medicine , peripartum cardiomyopathy , cardiomyopathy , etiology , pregnancy , presentation (obstetrics) , heart failure , ventricular function , cardiology , intensive care medicine , pediatrics , obstetrics , biology , genetics
Summary Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare form of cardiomyopathy, of unknown aetiology, which is associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. It is characterised by the presentation of heart failure, within a month of delivery and up to 5 months post‐partum, secondary to left ventricular impairment. It is essentially a diagnosis of exclusion and can only be made in the absence of any other demonstrable cause. One of the most challenging areas is in pre‐natal counselling, when a woman wishes to undertake a further pregnancy, because recovery of left ventricular function gives no guarantee of safety.