Regarding peri-partum cardiomyopathy (PPCM):
a) Define peri-partum cardiomyopathy. (20% marks)
b) List five differential diagnoses. (20% marks)
c) Outline the management. (60% marks)
Not available.
a) Peripartum cardiomyopathy has some specific defining criteria:
This is from the ESC statement from 2010, and is probably enough for a sub-question worth only 20% of the marks. If one wanted to write a little extra, a previous college answer holds clues to what the college examiners think is a good definition:
This definition was generated by a panel of fourteen experts during a conference workshop (Pearson et al, 2000).
b) Five plausible differentials would include:
c) Management is same as you would manage acute heart failure from any cause:
Sliwa, Karen, et al. "Current state of knowledge on aetiology, diagnosis, management, and therapy of peripartum cardiomyopathy: a position statement from the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on peripartum cardiomyopathy." European journal of heart failure 12.8 (2010): 767-778.
Pearson, Gail D., et al. "Peripartum cardiomyopathy: national heart, lung, and blood institute and office of rare diseases (national institutes of health) workshop recommendations and review." Jama 283.9 (2000): 1183-1188.
Sliwa, Karen, James Fett, and Uri Elkayam. "Peripartum cardiomyopathy." The Lancet 368.9536 (2006): 687-693.