Peripartum cardiomyopathy
What is it?
Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a weakness of the heart muscle that by definition begins sometime during the final month of pregnancy through about five months after delivery, without any other known cause. Most commonly, it occurs right after delivery. It is a rare condition that can carry mild or severe symptoms.
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Signs & symptoms
Symptoms usually include one or more of the following:
* orthopnea
* dyspnea on exertion
* pitting edema
* cough
* frequent night-time urination
* excessive weight gain during the last month of pregnancy
* palpitations
* chest pain
Diagnosis
In a mild case of peripartum cardiomyopathy, typical symptoms such as swelling in the feet and legs, and some shortness of breath can be similar to the symptoms of the third trimester of a normal pregnancy, so these symptoms may go undiagnosed. The patient may then go on to recover without further medical attention.
Severe cardiomyopathy can reveal itself if a patient becomes very short of breath and has swollen feet well after delivery. When the heart doesn’t pump well, fluid can accumulate in the body, most noticeably in the lungs and the feet. An echocardiogram can detect the cardiomyopathy by showing the diminished functioning of the heart.
Treatment
The objective of peripartum cardiomyopathy treatment is to keep extra fluid from accumulating in the lungs and to help the heart recover as fully as possible.
There are several kinds of medications a physician can prescribe to treat symptoms. These medications include:
* ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors
* Beta blockers
* Diuretics
☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.
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Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:
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