Cardiomyopathy and pregnancy: a high-risk combination

Commentary on: Eggleton EJ, McMurrugh KJ, Aiken CE. Maternal pregnancy outcomes in women with cardiomyopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Oct;227(4):582–592. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.05.039. Epub 2022 May 2021 Implications for practice and research Pregnant patients with cardiomyopathy have a risk of complications and should be advised accordingly. Prospective data focusing on pregnancy outcomes in patients with various subtypes of cardiomyopathies are warranted to ensure proper counselling of these patients. Context Haemodynamic changes, especially blood volume, heart rate and cardiac output augmentation, during pregnancy can exacerbate symptoms in patients with cardiomyopathy or unmask a preexisting asymptomatic condition.1 Peripartum cardiomyopathy, which also belongs in the cardiomyopathy group, presents with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction towards the end of pregnancy and in the postpartum period, when no other cause of heart failure is evident.1 All these patients are at high...
Source: Evidence-Based Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Women's Health and Midwifery Source Type: research