61. Case Report: Cardiac Arrest due to Peripartum Cardiomyopathy – Medical College of Wisconsin

CardioNerds (Amit Goyal & Daniel Ambinder) join Medical College of Wisconsin cardiology fellows (Katie Cohen, Div Mohananey, and Dave Lewandowski) for some cold brews by Lake Michigan in Cream City aka Milwaukee, WI! They discuss a case of a pregnant woman presenting cardiac arrest due to peripartum cardiomyopathy. Dr. Sarah Thordsen provides the E-CPR and program director, Dr. Nunzio Gaglianello, provides a message for applicants. Episode notes were developed by Johns Hopkins internal medicine resident, Eunice Dugan, with mentorship from University of Maryland cardiology fellow Karan Desai.  

Jump to: Patient summary - Case media - Case teaching - References

Episode graphic by Dr. Carine Hamo

The CardioNerds Cardiology Case Reports series shines light on the hidden curriculum of medical storytelling. We learn together while discussing fascinating cases in this fun, engaging, and educational format. Each episode ends with an “Expert CardioNerd Perspectives & Review” (E-CPR) for a nuanced teaching from a content expert. We truly believe that hearing about a patient is the singular theme that unifies everyone at every level, from the student to the professor emeritus.

We are teaming up with the ACC FIT Section to use the #CNCR episodes to showcase CV education across the country in the era of virtual recruitment. As part of the recruitment series, each episode features fellows from a given program discussing and teaching about an interesting case as well as sharing what makes their hearts flutter about their fellowship training. The case discussion is followed by both an E-CPR segment and a message from the program director.

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Patient Summary

A G2P1 woman in her early 30s with a history palpitations presented after a witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest while at work. She received 6 rounds of CPR and 2 shocks before ROSC was achieved. She was intubated and given fluids but continued to remain hypoxic and hypotensive. Exam demonstrated sinus tachycardia, no murmurs, gravid abdomen and cool extremities. Initial labs demonstrated leukocytosis to 14k, lactic acid at 4.3 mmol/L, troponin-I peak at 0.07 ng/dL and elevated NT-proBNP. CXR demonstrated bilateral effusions and pulmonary congestion, and post-arrest EKG showed a wide complex tachycardia, leading to suspicion of VT arrest. In sinus, there  were no ST segment elevations and TTE showed LVEF 10-20%, global hypokinesis and no valvular disease. Given the severity of her shock, she was placed on central VA-ECMO with Impella support as an LV vent. During ECMO cannulation, she underwent emergent cesarean section due to fetal distress. Coronary angiography showed non-obstructive coronaries, but with sluggish flow in the setting of her cardiogenic shock and possible coronary spasm in setting of multiple vasoactive medications. Endomyocardial biopsy was negative for giant cell myocarditis. Within 4-5 days, she was weaned off all vasoactive agents and ECMO was decannulated; repeat echocardiogram showed LV functional recovery. GDMT was slowly titrated and a subcutaneous ICD was eventually placed before discharge. She and her child have done well over the course of a year! 

Case Media

ABClick to Enlarge

A: ECG: Initially in sustained wide complex irregular tachycardiaB: CXR: Extensive consolidative changes throughout the lungs

TTE: Parasternal Long Axis

TTE: Apical 4 Chamber

Episode Schematics & Teaching

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The CardioNerds 5! – 5 major takeaways from the #CNCR case

1. What is the differential for cardiac arrest in pregnant patients? 

When thinking about a cardiac etiology of arrest, the differential should include pregnancy-induced hypertension,