The Etiology, Diagnosis and Treatment of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is defined as an idiopathic cardiomyopathy manifested as heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction toward the end of pregnancy or in five months after delivery when no other causes of heart failure ars found. Peripartum cardiomyopathy occurs in previously healthy woman, with unknown origin. Although the incidence is low, the mortality rate is high, and the prognosis is different. The patients commonly have dyspnea, cough, neck vein distension and edema, some patients even occurred arrhythmia and myocardial infarction. Diagnosis relies mainly on echocardiography and magnetic resonance images. The disease can be treated by positive myodynamia, diuresis, and anticoagulant drugs. In some patients the clinical symptoms and ultrasonic cardiogram quickly improve and return normal; but in other patients, the clinical symptoms rapidly deteriorating and the drug treatment is ineffective, if persistent left ventricular dysfunction develop to chronic heart failure, ventricular assist devices and cardiac transplantation maybe required. Summarize the etiology, diagnosis and treatment management of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]