[Seminar] Peripartum cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is increasingly recognised and diagnosed in clinical practice. Over the past two decades, a substantial amount of new knowledge on this condition has been accrued, including a better understanding of the pathophysiology, genetic predisposition for a proportion of patients, diagnostic tools, management with a disease-specific therapy, and predictors of outcome. Peripartum cardiomyopathy occurs globally in all ethnic groups and should be suspected in any women who are peripartum presenting with symptoms and signs indicative of heart failure towards the end of pregnancy or in the months following delivery.