Case Report

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Presenting with Pulmonary Embolism: An Unusual Case

Authors: Enoch Agunanne, MD

Abstract

A 35-year-old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit with heart failure and chest pain. Echocardiography had shown dilated cardiomyopathy, with a preponderance of right heart findings and pulmonary hypertension. In a woman with multiple prior uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries, and no other known risk factors of developing pulmonary hypertension, a clinical judgment of acute pulmonary embolism was made. This patient was found to have peripartum cardiomyopathy complicated by pulmonary embolism. The aim of this report is to make health professionals aware of the possibilities in a patient with dyspnea in the postpartum period.


Key Points


* Peripartum cardiomyopathy, though relatively rare, can occur together with pulmonary embolism during pregnancy or the early postdelivery period.


* Advancements in imaging studies make it easier for clinicians to make a primary diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy.


* This report demonstrates the strong need for having good clinical judgment, which is an invaluable tool in avoiding an oversight of a potentially serious medical problem.

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