Peripartum cardiomyopathy: postpartum decompensation and use of non-invasive cardiac output monitoring

Peripartum cardiomyopathy in low- and middle-income countries

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) causes pregnancy-associated heart failure, typically during the last month of pregnancy, and up to 6 months post-partum, in women without known cardiovascular disease. PPCM is a global disease, but with a significant geographical variability within and between countries. Its true incidence in Africa is still unknown because of the lack of a PPCM population-based study. The variability in the epidemiology of PPCM between and within countries could be due to differences in the prevalence of both genetic and non-genetic risk factors. Several risk factors have been implicated in the aetiopathogenesis of PPCM over the years. Majority of patients with PPCM present with symptoms and signs of congestive cardiac failure. Diagnostic work up in PPCM is prompted by strong clinical suspicion, but Echocardiography is the main imaging technique for diagnosis. The management of PPCM involves multiple disciplines - cardiologists, anaesthetists, intensivists, obstetricians, neonatologists, and the prognosis varies widely.

Applications of Noninvasive Hemodynamic Monitoring in Obstetric Management

Clinicians managing obstetric patients are dependent on valid hemodynamic measurements to guide care. Heart rate and noninvasive blood pressure guide most current care. New hemodynamic monitors are being used to report research findings and are being investigated by clinicians for their value to supplement standard monitoring. These include arterial pulse contour analysis, Doppler velocimetry, and bioimpedance among others. This chapter serves to present these new devices with a critical review of their advantages and limitations, and most importantly the validity of their measurements.

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Do Exosomes Play a Role?

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) refers to irreversible cardiomyocyte damage that occurs during the last month of pregnancy, or within 5 months after giving birth. It is characterized by systolic heart failure. This life-threatening condition is relatively uncommon, but the incidence has been climbing up. Because of its high mortality, it is crucial for physicians to have high suspicious for the disease. Studies have been done to search into specific lab test and treatment for PPCM. Therapies like anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and immunosuppression regimen have been explored. New regimen like exosomes has also been explored and revealed promising effects.

Double Invasive Blood Pressure Monitoring for Cesarean Delivery in a Pregnant Woman With Aortic Coarctation

Aortic coarctation is a discrete narrowing of the proximal thoracic aorta. It is poorly tolerated during pregnancy because of its association with hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, and aortic rupture. We report a case of severe uncorrected congenital aortic coarctation in a 31-year-old symptomatic pregnant woman at 29 weeks of gestation who underwent successful cesarean delivery with an epidural anesthetic technique. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a gradient of 75 mm Hg. To avoid undiagnosed arterial hypotension and inadequate uteroplacental flow distal to the coarctation, double (radial and femoral) invasive arterial blood pressure measurement was used to monitor both pre- and postcoarctation arterial blood pressure.

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy in Intensive Care Unit: An Update

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a systolic heart failure that occurs during the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months after delivery. It is an uncommon disease of unknown etiopathogenesis and has a very high rate of maternal mortality. Because of similarity between symptoms of PPCM and physiological discomforts during pregnancy, the early diagnosis of PPCM presents a major challenge. Since hemodynamic changes during PPCM can vitally jeopardize the mother and the fetus, patients with severe forms of PPCM require a multidisciplinary approach in intensive care units. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge about the diagnosis, monitoring, and the treatment of PPCM. Having reviewed the recent researches, it gives insight into the new treatment strategies of this rare disease.