Cardiac Disease/Resp and Pregnancy Flashcards
What examples of CD do many women experience in pregnancy?
Palpitations and SOB due to awareness of physiological sinus tachycardia
Ventricular premature/ectopic beats
Increased minute ventilation
What is peripartum cardiomyopathy?
Development of heart failure at end of pregnancy or in months following delivery where no other cause is found, orthopnoea is a common sign
Prognosis of perioartum myopathy?
Many recover in a few months if caught early
High chance of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies
Why does breathlessness happen in pregnancy and is it concerning?
Not concerning: normal
Physiological hyperventilation
When is pregnancy breathlessness likely?
3rd trimester
Character of pregnancy breathlessness?
Worse at rest or when talking
Improves on exertion
Shouldn’t limit normal activities
Most common chronic medical disorder to complicate pregnancy?
Asthma
Effect of pregnancy on asthma?
1/3 improve
1/3 worsen
1/3 stay same
Treatment of asthma in pregnancy?
Stays same as non-pregnant
Most common direct cause of death in pregnancy?
PE
Risk increase for VTE in pregnancy?
4-6 x increase
What leg do DVTs in pregnancy normally arise on?
Left leg
Usually iliofemoral as well (groin)
Daily risk of VTE is ______ in puerperium compared to antenatal period?
Higher
x5 to be precise
Surely you would measure D dimers if concerned about PE/DVT in pregnancy?
NOOOOOO! Sillly goose
D dimers are often raised in pregnancy anyway
What can be used to look for DVT then?
Compression duplex US
