title: Cardiac disease in pregnancy: intrapartum considerations.
abstract: Impressive changes in the maternal cardiovascular system occur in response to pregnancy. The patient with normal cardiac function complies with these physiologic changes without difficulty. The patient with cardiac disease, however, may be at significant risk for morbidity and mortality when faced with these changes. Knowledge of the disease process is essential, because caring for the pregnancy patient with known cardiac disease presents a unique challenge to the critical care nurse.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Drummond
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy