Peripartum Cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare type of heart failure condition. This problem can occur during pregnancy or immediately after delivery. In this condition, the muscles of the heart become weak and the size of the heart increases. As a result, the heart is unable to pump blood properly to the rest of the body. It is detected during the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months after delivery.

The symptoms of peripartum cardiomyopathy can be similar to those of heart failure. These are as follows -

• Fast heartbeat
• Chest pain
• Excessive fatigue
• Fatigue during physical activity
• Difficulty breathing
• Swollen feet and ankles
• Frequent urination at night

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A woman's heart pumps 50 percent more blood during pregnancy. This is because, along with the pregnant woman, the baby also needs oxygen and important nutrients. There is no definite cause of peripartum cardiomyopathy. Doctors believe that this condition occurs when extra pumping of blood is combined with other risk factors. This creates extra pressure on the heart. These risk factors are as follows -

• Being overweight or obese
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• History of heart disease, including myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle)
• Malnutrition
• Smoking
• Alcohol abuse
• Multiple pregnancies or being pregnant more than once
• Being over the age of 30
• Preterm labor medications

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If a woman has peripartum cardiomyopathy, the doctor may prescribe the following types of medicines to control the problem -

• Beta-blockers - medicines that lower blood pressure and improve blood flow by blocking the hormone adrenaline.
• Digitalis - This strengthens the heart so that the process of pumping and circulation can be normal.
• Diuretics - These medicines can normalize blood pressure by removing excess water and salt from the body.

Apart from medicines, the doctor may also ask for dietary changes, such as reducing the amount of sodium. Apart from this, the doctor may ask the pregnant woman to stop any particular type of physical activity, regularly check blood pressure and weight, and get periodic checkups done. In some severe cases, a balloon heart pump can be installed after surgery or even a heart transplant can be done.

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The risk of peripartum cardiomyopathy can be reduced by making lifestyle changes. It goes something like this -

• Low-fat diet
• Consuming limited amounts of salt or foods containing salt
• Exercise regularly, take medical advice before exercising during pregnancy, and exercise only under the supervision of an expert.
• Abstaining from smoking.
• Abstaining from the consumption of alcohol.

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Any woman can develop peripartum cardiomyopathy during pregnancy. Symptoms include excessive fatigue and rapid heartbeat. At the same time, the main reasons behind this have been considered as malnutrition and excess weight, etc. In such a situation, on seeing the symptoms mentioned in this article, the doctor should be contacted immediately and any kind of serious complication should be avoided.

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