Objectives: We describe our experience with peripartum cardiomyopathy.
Design and setting: A case series in intensive care units (ICU) of a distri
ct hospital and a referral center. Patients: Six patients who required admi
ssion to an ICU after the onset of peripartum cardiomyopathy.
Results: Five of the six patients survived, with total recovery of ventricu
lar function. After 1 year of follow-up all five survivors were symptom fre
e with a normal ventricular function.
Conclusions: There is a row rate of ICU admissions for peripartum cardiomyo
pathy, which has a potentially fatal prognosis. However, this disease can b
e detected by echocardiography among patients without the semiology.