Peripartum cardiomyopathy: an integrative review study

Introduction: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is the occurrence of heart failure of the left ventricle in women between the last month of pregnancy and the fifth month of the puerperium. The diagnosis is based on clinical and echocardiographic criteria imposed by National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, but it is little emphasized and not screened in primary care. This article seeks to understand how the diagnosis is performed and what the risk factors associate with peripartum cardiomyopathy. Objective: To analyze the literary data on the theme, in order to subsidize an approach to this problem and facilitate a better prognosis for pregnant or puerperal women affected. Method: This is an integrative literature review, obtained through the search for scientific articles in the databases LILACS, MEDLINE, and BDENF, and the combination of the descriptors Cardiomyopathy, Diagnosis and Peripartum. The inclusion criteria were articles in English and Portuguese, without time delimitation, with abstract and full text available on the thematic Peripartum Cardiomyopathy, whose target population were pregnant and/or puerperal women. Books, articles, reviews, editorials, theses, government programs and reports, and studies whose sample did not include pregnant and/or puerperal women were excluded. Results: Ten articles were selected from the three databases. The findings showed the absence of screening for early detection of peripartum cardiomyopathy, resulting in negligence of symptoms and increased complications associated with the disease. Conclusion: This study contributes to highlight the knowledge gap, since this subject has been little discussed, especially in primary care.