Postpartum cardiomyopathy: a diagnostic dilemma
by H.A. Khwaja, S.S. Khwaja, M. Fakhry, B.A. Addas and S. Al-Awdah
Postpartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is the development of heart failure in the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months after delivery without an identifiable cause in a previously healthy female. It is a rare condition, which carries a high maternal mortality. We describe the case of a 35-year-old South Asian woman who presented with dyspnoea, fatiguability, peripheral oedema and abdominal distension. Given the non-specific symptoms, echocardiographic findings indicative of left ventricular systolic dysfunction established the diagnosis of PPCM. (Specialties Cardiac Imaging; Cardiology: 26th June 2008) More...

Cardiac transplantation: since the first case report by S M Benjamin and N C Barnes
Launching our new Landmark Case Reports library section, we present Christiaan Barnard's original report discussing the world's first successful heart transplant operation. (Landmark Case Reports; March 2004) More...