title: [Postpartum dyspnea, edema and fever].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiomyopathy is a condition with heart failure caused by a reduction in the contractility of the heart. Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare, but serious condition, characterised by development of heart failure during the last month of pregnancy or the first five months after delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case in which a woman pregnant with twins developed heart failure a few days after giving birth. We give a short report of symptoms, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for subsequent pregnancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The condition was initially diagnosed and treated as pneumonia, but despite treatment and improvement in her laboratory tests, her condition worsened. The symptoms were dyspnoea, peripheral oedemas and pulmonary oedema. Peripartum cardiomyopathy was diagnosed after echocardiography. Treatment of heart failure with diuretics, nitroglycerine, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and beta blocker was given with good results. This case is presented in order to draw attention to a rare, but serious condition in pregnancy or the postnatal period which easily can be misjudged or mistreated.
authors.affiliation: Fødeseksjonen, Kvinneklinikken, Rikshospitalet, 0027 Oslo.
authors.forename: Marie Cecilie Paasche
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Roland
authors.forename: Bjørg
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorentzen
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gjertsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000175:diagnosis; D014463:Ultrasonography