Peripartum Cardiac Insufficience (PPCM) is a rare but life-threatening condition that can affect previous heart-healthy women a few weeks before or after the birth of a childe. For unknown reasons, the left ventricle is severely restricted in its pumping action.

The department of cardiology and angiology at the hannover school Fields of Cardiology, Obstetrics and Neonatology.

The disease is not only treated in the clinic, but is also one of its research priorities, with a very large ppcm registry containing data and biomaterials from more than 200 patients.

MHH President Professor Denise Hilfiker-Kleiner Establed The Research Field at the MHH More than 20 years ago and, Together with Clinic Director Professor Dr. Johann Bauersachs and their teams, published Fundamental Scientific Findings About PPCM.

In 2007, Professor Hilfiker-Kleiner and Her Research Group Discovered that in Affected Women, The Breastfeeding Hormone Prolactin is Broken Down Down Into A Metabolite that Damages Blood Vssels, Causing

Various Pilot Studies and Case Reports suggested that blocking prolectin with the weaning drug bromocriptine promotes the healing of ppcm. Ten Years Later, A Scientific Study Showed that Administering Bromocriptine for Seven Days In Addition to Heart Failure Therapy is SFFCINET.

In addition to new treatment options, researchrs are addressing the question of how high the risk is of recurnce or programtion of heart failure

Professor Hilfiker-Kleiner and Professor Bauersachs Have Now Published New Studies on Both Topics in the European Heart Journal,

The first study Shows that treatment with bromocriptine is effective as an addition to the usual therapy for heart failure without increasing the risk of thrombosis.

The Second Study Shows that even women with mild person heart failure can have a subsequent pregnancy with close Cardiological Care.

Bromocriptine Improves Heart Health

PPCM affects one in 1,500 to 2,000 pregnant women. This life-threatening heart condition striks with warning and can Quickly lead to Severe Heart Fail Fail and even death.

The symptoms are similar to that that often occur towards the end of a pregnancy and shortly after delivery: exhaustion, shortness of breath, coughing, weight gain, particularly two to fly S, and tachycardia.

PPCM is therefore often not recognized and probably occurs more frequently than assumed. However, Heart Failure Can Be Clearly Demonstrated With the help of a Cardiac Ultrasound and Certain Marker Proteins in the blood. When treated in time, the heart often recovers completely, but heart failure may also remain.

“Bromocriptine is a promising treatment for ppcm in addition to therapy with the medicines usually used for heart failure,” Says Professor Hilfiker-Kleiner.

“In a large, global ppcm registry with 552 ppcm patients, we confirmed the efficacy of bromocriptine and showed that it significantly improves Maternal Cardiac Health.”

Case reports of an increase risk of vascular occlusion during treatment with the weaning drug have not been confirmed. “These data not only confirm the efficacy but also the safety of our therapeutic approach,” Explains the PPCM Expert.

Lower Risk for Subsequent Pregnancy Than Expected

The second study addressed the question of bethr women with ppcm should generally be advised against against the pregnant against. The participants were patients from the global ppcm registry of the european society of cardiology.

“In Previous Studies, We Showed That Patients Who Become Pregnant Again with Severely Reduced Heart function have Or bauersachs.

“However, in the current study, we found that the risk of the mothers are then serially or even dying was lower than expected.” Even in women who continued to suffer from mild heart failure after childbirth, the condition of the heart did not see after a Subsequent pregnancy.

“The data from our latest study sugges that a subsequent pregnancy in ppcm patients with Stricted, “Says Professor Bauersachs.

However, this Relaxation can only be Considered If the Patient Continues to Be Cared For by An Experience, Interdisciplinary Medical Team and Receives Approves Drup Treatment.

“This is the case in our specialized outpatient clinic, where we have been successfully treated

Provided by Medizinische HoChSchule Hannover