PERIPARTUM CARDIOMYOPATHY

Course overview

PERIPARTUM CARDIOMYOPATHY (PPCM) IS A RARE CAUSE OF CARDIOMYOPATHY THAT OCCURS DURING LATE PREGNANCY OR IN THE EARLY POSTPARTUM PERIOD. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY SIGNIFICANT LEFT VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION AND HEART FAILURE IN THE PERIPARTUM PERIOD OCCURRING IN THE ABSENCE OF OTHER IDENTIFIABLE CAUSES OF HEART FAILURE. LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION IS ALMOST ALWAYS LESS THAN 45 PERCENT, AND THE LEFT VENTRICLE MAY OR MAY NOT BE DILATED. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF PERIPARTUM CARDIOMYOPATHY AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF TEAM-BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.