CARDIAC DISEASE IN PREGNANCY

Course overview

MANY CARDIAC DISEASES DURING PREGNANCY ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION, AND MANY OTHERS WHICH ARE STILL NOT UNDERSTOOD REQUIRE FURTHER INQUIRY. SOME OF THESE DISEASES MAY BE EXACERBATIONS OF PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS THAT THE PREGNANT WOMAN MAY ALREADY HAVE, OR THEY MAY DEVELOP A NEW DISEASE PROCESS THAT PRESENTS BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEX HORMONAL CHANGES AND PHYSIOLOGY OF PREGNANCY. PREEXISTING CONDITIONS THAT CAN PREDISPOSE PREGNANT WOMEN TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE INCLUDE HYPERTENSION, DIABETES MELLITUS, AND CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION OF CARDIAC DISEASE IN PREGNANCY AND IDENTIFIES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING THIS CONDITION.