A rare form of heart failure called peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), commonly referred to as postpartum cardiomyopathy, can occur in the final month of pregnancy or up to five months after giving birth. Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a dilated form of cardiomyopathy when the heart chambers enlarge, and the muscle weakens. Due to this, less blood is pumped from the left ventricle of the heart during each contraction which means that blood flow is reduced. When this happens, the heart is unable to supply the oxygen that the body's organs need, which has an impact on the liver, lungs, and other systems. Women with a mean age of thirty who are over twenty-five were found to have a higher risk of developing peripartum cardiomyopathy.
Symptoms depend on the degree of disease:
Fatigue
Chest pain
Dry cough
lightheadedness
Heart palpitations
Increased urination frequency at night
Shortness of breath with activity and when lying flat
Swollen ankles
Swollen neck veins
Low blood pressure
If you experience any of these symptoms, visit a General Practitioner (General Practice doctor), who might refer you to a Cardiologist, for proper diagnosis and treatment to prevent further complications.
The exact cause is unclear however there are several risk factors for this condition:
Old maternal age
History of heart diseases like heart attack, and inflammation of the heart muscle.
High blood pressure
Multiple pregnancies
Multifetal pregnancy
Certain medications
Besides the physical examination, your cardiologist may request the following tests:
Blood tests
Chest x-ray
Electrocardiogram
Echocardiogram
Cardiac MRI
Cardiac catheterization in specific cases
There are several types of medications that could be prescribed by your cardiologist. For example:
Medicines for high blood pressure (Ex: enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril, ramipril, candesartan, irbesartan, losartan, valsartan and olmesartan, amlodipine)
Medicines to treat heart failure (Ex: digoxin)
Diuretics (Ex: indapamide, bendroflumethiazide)
Anticoagulants. (Ex: warfarin)
Beta-blockers (Ex: atenolol, bisoprolol)
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