Recognizing Postpartum Cardiomyopathy, Heart Disease After Childbirth

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Medical Video: Mother Delivers Baby, Develops Heart Failure

Postpartum cardiomyopathy or also known as peripartum cardiomyopathy is heart disease after childbirth. This heart disease can also occur during pregnancy or at the end of pregnancy. If it occurs after childbirth, it usually occurs in five bulls afterwards.

This condition weakens the heart muscle and causes the heart to become enlarged. As a result, the heart cannot work optimally in pumping blood throughout the body. Although rare, pregnant women still need to maintain heart health and recognize the symptoms of this postpartum cardiomyopathy.

Who is at risk of having heart disease after giving birth?

The exact cause of postpartum cardiomyopathy is unknown. However, the condition of heart disease after childbirth is believed to occur due to the performance of the heart muscle that is gaining weight.

For pregnancy periodheart muscle will pump blood up to 50 percent more than the heart's work in general when not pregnant. This is caused by the body experiencing an additional burden, namely the fetus must get a supply of oxygen and essential nutrients.

The risk of heart disease after childbirth will also increase due to various factors, namely:

  • Excess weight (obesity)
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • History of heart disease included myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle)
  • Malnutrition
  • Smoke
  • Eating alcohol
  • Age above 30 years

What are the symptoms of heart disease after giving birth?

Symptoms heart disease after childbirth is similar to symptoms heart failure. You may experience:

  • Heart palpitations (palpitations)
  • Chest pain
  • Extraordinary fatigue
  • Easily tired during physical activity
  • Hard to breathe
  • Swelling of the feet and ankles
  • Frequent urination at night

What is the diagnosis of heart disease after childbirth?

Your doctor will review the symptoms you have and do a physical examination. The doctor will listen to the crackling sounds in the lungs and abnormal sounds in your heart using a stethoscope.

The doctor will also check your blood pressure. It may be lower than usual and can drop dramatically when you get up from a sitting or lying position.

Various imaging tests can measure your heart. This test also determines the rate of blood flow. Some of these imaging tests can also see the potential for lung damage. These tests include:

  • X-ray from the entire chest.
  • CT scan for the whole heart image.
  • A nuclear scan to show the heart chamber.
  • Echocardiography (ECG) or cardiac ultrasound to see heart rate record.

What are the treatment options for heart disease after childbirth?

Women who have this condition should be hospitalized until the symptoms of heart disease after childbirth can be controlled. The doctor will recommend treatment based on the severity of your condition.

Postpartum cardiomyopathy includes heart damage that cannot be cured as usual. However, a damaged heart can still function for a long time, depending on how severe the damage is. The severity of the damage will also determine whether or not a heart transplant is needed.

Doctors recommend heart transplants or balloon heart pumps in severe cases. For most women, treatment involves managing and reducing symptoms.

Your doctor may prescribe the following drugs to control your symptoms:

  • Beta-blockers: drugs that reduce blood pressure and improve blood flow by blocking the hormone adrenaline.
  • Digitalis: a drug that strengthens the heart to improve pumping and circulation.
  • Diuretics: a drug that lowers blood pressure by removing excess water and salt from the body.

Women with this condition may also need to follow a low-salt diet to cope with their blood pressure. They must avoid alcohol and tobacco products, because this can make symptoms worse.

Postpartum cardiomyopathy can affect your health for life, even after successful treatment. Keep doing routine checks and taking medication according to the doctor's instructions.

Recognizing Postpartum Cardiomyopathy, Heart Disease After Childbirth
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