Contractile reserve in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy and recovered left ventricular function

Women who have experienced peripartum cardiomyopathy and whose left ventricular size and performance have recovered may still have a reduced contractile reserve. Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare complication of pregnancy involving heart failure in the first half or last month of pregnancy. Researchers measured contractile reserve with a dobutamine challenge test on seven women who had recovered from peripartum cardiomyopathy. Recovered women had normal starting heart rates, blood pressures, ventricular size and left ventricular function. After dobutamine challenge, however, contractile reserve was decreased.