The pregnant heart: cardiac emergencies during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular emergencies in pregnant patients are often considered a rare event; however, heart disease as a cause of maternal mortality is steadily increasing.

DISCUSSION: In this article, we review 3 common cardiovascular emergencies and the important subtle differences in their treatment in the pregnant patient: peripartum/postpartum cardiomyopathy, acute myocardial infarction, and cardiac resuscitation.

CONCLUSION: Managing these conditions in the emergency department setting requires a high index of suspicion, knowledge of anatomical and physiologic changes associated with pregnancy, and updated management strategies related to optimizing maternal and fetal health.