Preeclampsia and peripartum cardiomyopathy: An uncommon association

Although the etiology of PPCM remains unclear, a number of risk factors for this disorder have been proposed. However, the disease can occured in wome n without these risk factors. Preeclampsia is associated with PPCM. However, cardiomyopathy is an infrequ ent complication of preeclampsia. Treatment of PPCM is similar to that other types of congestive heart failur e. The pregnancy outcome is uncertain. Probably it depends on whether ther hea rt size returns to normal. We present the case of a 38 years old woman, who developed in an 33(th) wee k of gestation a PPCM. She had some risk factors (include preeclampsia) but had a favorable evolution with conventional treatment. The rarely of the syndrome, its potential consequences, and the probable as sociation with preeclampsia, stimulated us to present this case.