title: Peripartum cardiomyopathy: a contemporary review.
abstract: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare and potentially fatal disease. Though approximately half of the patients recover, the clinical course is highly variable and some patients develop refractory heart failure and persistent left ventricular systolic dysfunction. It is diagnosed when women present with heart failure secondary to left ventricular systolic dysfunction towards the end of pregnancy or in the months following delivery, where no other cause of heart failure is found. Etiology remains unclear, and treatment is similar to other cardiomyopathies and includes evidence-based standard heart failure management strategies. Experimental strategies such as intravenous immunoglobulin and bromocriptine await further clinical validation.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ather
authors.forename: Chirag
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bavishi
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bambhroliya
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Biykem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
mesh_terms: D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D058725:Peripartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
keywords: Peripartum cardiomyopathy; etiology and diagnosis; heart failure; management; pregnancy; prognosis