What Is Postpartum Cardiomyopathy?
Pericardial cardiomyopathy refers to a type of cardiomyopathy that mainly affects the myocardium and occurs for the first time in the last 3 months of pregnancy or 6 months after delivery without a history of heart disease. Perinatal cardiomyopathy first appears in the perinatal period, and may cause heart failure symptoms such as dyspnea, blood sputum, liver enlargement, and edema in women without heart disease during the end of pregnancy or postpartum (usually 2-20 weeks), similar to dilated cardiomyopathy. Patients may have enlarged ventricles and mural thrombus. One of the characteristics of this disease is the higher incidence of systemic or pulmonary circulation embolism. Some people believe that due to pregnancy and childbirth, the original hidden cardiomyopathy shows clinical symptoms, so some people classify it as primary cardiomyopathy. The disease mostly occurs in men and women around the age of 30. If early diagnosis and timely treatment are available, the prognosis is generally good. It is important to be quiet, increase nutrition, and take vitamins.
Basic Information
- English name
- peripartum cardiomyopathy
- Visiting department
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Multiple groups
- Around 30 years old
- Common symptoms
- Heart failure symptoms such as dyspnea, blood sputum, liver enlargement, and edema at the end of pregnancy or postpartum (usually 2 to 20 weeks) without heart disease
Causes of perinatal cardiomyopathy
- Pericardial cardiomyopathy is a group of multifactorial diseases whose etiology is unknown to date. Its onset may be related to viral infection and the body's autoimmune factors. Multiple births, multiple births, hypertension, malnutrition, and anemia are considered to be related to the occurrence of perinatal cardiomyopathy. Some people consider cesarean section, chronic hypertension, and preeclampsia as risk factors for perinatal cardiomyopathy.
Clinical manifestations of perinatal cardiomyopathy
- The main clinical manifestation of perinatal cardiomyopathy is congestive heart failure. Heart failure symptoms such as dyspnea, blood sputum, liver enlargement, and edema at the end of pregnancy or postpartum (usually 2 to 20 weeks) without heart disease are similar to those with dilated cardiomyopathy.
Diagnosis of perinatal cardiomyopathy
- The diagnostic criteria were: no previous history of heart disease; symptoms of heart failure at the time of onset, and no special signs of cardiac abnormalities; echocardiography can show that the atrium and ventricle are enlarged, with the left ventricle enlarged as much as possible, and each valve has reflux.
Perinatal cardiomyopathy treatment
- It is important to be quiet, increase nutrition, and take vitamins. For heart failure, digitalis, diuretics, and vasodilators can be used. Anticoagulants should be used in cases with embolism.
- Congestive heart failure
- Response to digitalis is good, and rapid use can quickly control heart failure. Small doses of diuretics and vasodilators can be added.
- Arrhythmia
- See Arrhythmia Treatment.
Prevention of perinatal cardiomyopathy
- 1. Strengthen physical examination during pregnancy and perinatal period, detect and treat pregnancy poisoning early, and prevent various infections during puerperium or postpartum.
- 2. Re-pregnancy can cause recurrence. Intermittent pyelonephritis, poor eating habits, excessive physical exertion, and improper use of digitalis can also cause recurrence. These factors should be avoided and eliminated.