Peripartum cardiomyopathy: A 2022 update

Abstract

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but life-threatening condition defined by left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure (HF), occurring in late pregnancy or, more commonly, the early postpartum period. In African American women, women with pre-eclampsia, advanced maternal age, and numerous gestation pregnancies, there is a greater incidence. Although the pathophysiology of PPCM is still undetermined, the importance of vasculo-hormonal pathways has been suggested in research over the past decades. Sarcomere genetic polymorphisms are found in at least some women with the disorder. More than 50% of the patients recover systolic function, albeit some are left with chronic cardiomyopathy, and a small minority of patients requires mechanical support or cardiac transplantation, or both. For the diagnosis of PPCM, electrocardiographic findings of decreased myocardial function are essential. Currently, the management of PPCM is limited to standard treatments for HF with reduced ejection fraction, with attention to minimizing the potential adverse effects on the fetus in women who are still pregnant. As a result, the outcome might range from full recovery to persistent HF, arrhythmia, thromboembolic events, or death. Research on PPCM is examined in this review, as are potential future paths for further study.