Current perspectives in peripartum cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare, but potentially life-threatening condition that typically presents during the final month of pregnancy, or within the first few months postpartum. PPCM is characterized by a decrease in left ventricular function that leads to heart failure in pregnant women with no previous history of cardiovascular disease, and for which the etiology of heart failure cannot be identified. Despite advances in understanding its molecular and clinical underpinnings, PPCM remains a diagnosis of exclusion. This review provides an overview of PPCM, including discussions on clinical presentation, population incidence, the potential role for genetic mutations, existing animal models, and candidate biomarkers.