Left ventricular function in peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Although many cases of peripartum cardiomyopathy have been reported in the literature, detailed data from left heart catheterization and contrast ventriculography are unavailable. A patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy had catheterization performed to clarify the diagnosis. Hemodynamics at rest and with exercise, angiographic volumes, and indices of left ventricular function are presented. The data indicate no serious abnormality of global systolic left ventricular function in this patient although a segmental wall motion abnormality was noted. Volume overload or diminished diastolic compliance may explain the symptoms of heart failure in some patients with this disease.