Unknown rheumatic cardiac disease as cause of acute onset post-partum dyspnea: a case report

Abstract Background Acute post-partum dyspnea configures an obstetric challenge with multiple differential diagnosis. Case presentation We present a case of a previous healthy woman with preeclampsia who developed severe dyspnea 30 h after delivery. She complained of cough, orthopnea, and bilateral...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: António De Pinho, Andreia Mota De Sousa, Anabela Melo, Anabela Ferreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-07-01
Series:BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05809-w
Description
Summary:Abstract Background Acute post-partum dyspnea configures an obstetric challenge with multiple differential diagnosis. Case presentation We present a case of a previous healthy woman with preeclampsia who developed severe dyspnea 30 h after delivery. She complained of cough, orthopnea, and bilateral lower extremities oedema. She denied headaches, blurry vision, nausea, vomiting, fever or chills. Auscultation revealed a diastolic murmur, and was compatible with pulmonary oedema. A timely bedside echocardiogram showed moderate dilated left atrium with severe mitral insufficiency suggestive of an unknown rheumatic disease. She was managed with noninvasive ventilation, loop diuretics, vasodilators, thromboprophylaxis, head-end elevation, and fluid restriction with progressive improving. Conclusions Hemodynamic changes in pregnant patients with previously silent cardiac disease may pose a challenge and cause post-partum dyspnea. This scenario requires a timely and multidisciplinary approach.
ISSN:1471-2393