©Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See Permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Crit Care Med. Mar 9, 2026; 15(1): 113515
Published online Mar 9, 2026. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v15.i1.113515
Published online Mar 9, 2026. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v15.i1.113515
Peripartum cardiomyopathy in an intensive care unit setting
Syeda Farheen Zaidi, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburg Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
Ajavindu Prasad, Department of Medicine, Kempegowda Institue of Medical Science, Banglore 560002, India
Aakash M Gangadhar, Department of Medicine, Banglore Medical College and Research Institute, Banglore 560002, India
Syed A Khan, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Amaar H Zaidi, Department of Medicine, Liaquat National Medical College, Karachi 74800, Sindh, Pakistan
Moisza Mushtaq, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Gokhan Anil, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mayo Clinic Health System, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Salim Surani, Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
Salim Surani, Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
Author contributions: Zaidi SF contributed to conceptualization, manuscript writing, critical revision; Ajavindu P contributed to literature review, manuscript drafting, editing, figure/table preparation; Gangadhar AM contributed to manuscript drafting, data extraction, referencing, figure/table preparation; Khan SA contributed to senior review, clinical validation, manuscript revision; Zaidi AH contributed to literature review, manuscript writing formatting; Mushtaq M contributed to clinical insight, postpartum focus, content revision; Anil G contributed to obstetric cardiology input, guideline integration, senior review; Surani S contributed to oversight, critical revisions, expert commentary.
Conflict-of-interest statement: None of the authors has any conflict of interest to disclose.
Corresponding author: Salim Surani, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine and Phar
Received: August 27, 2025
Revised: September 12, 2025
Accepted: November 21, 2025
Published online: March 9, 2026
Processing time: 185 Days and 4.7 Hours
Revised: September 12, 2025
Accepted: November 21, 2025
Published online: March 9, 2026
Processing time: 185 Days and 4.7 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Early recognition of peripartum cardiomyopathy is critical, as symptoms mimic heart failure and other acute conditions. Management includes guideline-directed heart failure therapy tailored to pregnancy/lactation, individualized hemodynamic and respiratory support, and mechanical circulatory support if needed. Bromocriptine may be considered in severe cases to improve left ventricular recovery, with concurrent anticoagulation due to thrombotic risk. Long-term care requires serial echocardiography, natriuretic peptide monitoring, and counseling on future pregnancy risks, as residual cardiac dysfunction may persist.