Postpartum cardiomyopathy:
a diagnostic dilemma
H.A. Khwaja, S.S. Khwaja, M. Fakhry, B.A. Addas and S. Al-Awdah
Corresponding address:
Me. Haris Khwaja,
24 Compton Avenue, Sudbury, Middlesex,
HA0 3FD, UK.
E-mail: harisk@doctors.org.uk
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.
Keywords
Cardiomyopathy; postpartum; echocardiogram; ventricular dysfunction.
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