Incidence and characterization of peripartum cardiomyopathy at the Hospital do Prenda

Abstract

Introduction: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare disease that occurs in healthy women and is characterized by the development of left ventricular systolic dysfunction and symptoms of heart failure in the period between the last month of pregnancy and the first five months postpartum.
Objectives: To determine the incidence, presentation forms, treatment and mortality of patients received at the hospital.
Method: Prospective study of 13 patients diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy who were received at the do Prenda Hospital from July 2012 to July 2013. Demographic variables, risk factors, gynecological and obstetrical history, signs and symptoms of heart failure, echocardiographic findings and treatment used were analyzed.
Results: The mean age was 30.8 ± 7.23 years, patients over 35 prevailed (38.5%). Most were multiparous (84.6%), with more than three pregnancies (61.5%), hypertensive disease of pregnancy was the main risk factor found (53.8%). Eleven patients were diagnosed during the first weeks postpartum. The mean ejection fraction was 36.8 ± 10%. Spironolactone, other diuretics and digitalis were the most frequently used drugs. There were no deaths during hospitalization.
Conclusions: Symptoms and signs of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and use of digitalis and diuretics were the distinguishing characteristics of these patients, similar to those reported in international registries. The incidence of this disease is very low and there were no deaths in the period studied.