The most common cardiovascular killer in maternal medicine is also among the most misdiagnosed. Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a systolic dysfunction that occurs either in late pregnancy or in the early postpartum stage, is often misdiagnosed in the obstetric and primary care settings, according to experts.
“I’ve looked at why people die during pregnancy and postpartum, and the single largest cause is a late referral or late diagnosis, or not being able to refer to a tertiary level care center,” said Garima Sharma, MD, who directs cardio-obstetrics and cardiovascular women’s health at Inova Health System in Falls Church, Virginia.
Sharma is the lead author of a paper published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, aimed at improving workforce competencies in cardio-obstetrics.