Pregnancy and Heart Disease: Pregnancy-Associated Hypertension and Peripartum Cardiomyopathy

Cardiovascular diseases are major complications in pregnancy worldwide and the number of patients who develop cardiac problems during pregnancy is increasing. Pregnancy-associated hypertensive complications such as pre-eclampsia (PE) or peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) are potentially life-threatening heart diseases emerging during pregnancy, under delivery or in the first postpartal months in previously healthy women. Both disease entities display substantial morbidity and mortality in the acute phase. Long-term effects are just beginning to be evaluated. Pathophysiologies are not clear but may to some degree overlap with regard to angiogenic imbalance and endothelial damage. Genetics, lifestyle, and comorbidities are important modulators of PE and PPCM. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on epidemiology and pathophysiology, provides information on diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and highlights promising novel therapeutic approaches for PE and PPCM.