Successful use of levosimendan in a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy.
This case represents the first reported use of levosimendan, a calcium-sensitizing drug with additional vasodilation properties, for treatment of a woman with peripartum cardiomyopathy. Levosimendan induced a steady decline of increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, followed by a definitive increase in cardiac stroke volume. The patient recovered from this serious episode of heart failure, and she ultimately regained left ventricular function.


CONCLUSIONS
Acute heart failure is a life-threatening event that only rarely occurs during childbirth. We report a case of a woman who experienced cardiovascular collapse during vaginal delivery. We determined that she met current diagnostic criteria for peripartum cardiomyopathy, and we successfully treated her with levosimendan, a calcium-sensitizing drug with additional vasodilation properties.
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Hôpital Lariboisière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 06, Paris, France.
Sidney
S
Benlolo
Cécile
C
Lefoll
Vahan
V
Katchatouryan
Didier
D
Payen
Alexandre
A
Mebazaa
D000328:Adult; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical; D001049:Apnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077464:Simendan; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000077464:Simendan