Recommendations for the Management of High-Risk Cardiac Delivery: ACC Cardiovascular Disease in Women Committee Panel.

Maternal mortality is a major public health crisis in the United States. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. Labor and delivery is a vulnerable time for pregnant individuals with CVD but there is significant heterogeneity in the management of labor and delivery in high-risk patients due in part to paucity of high-quality randomized data. The authors have convened a multidisciplinary panel of cardio-obstetrics experts including cardiologists, obstetricians and maternal fetal medicine physicians, critical care physicians, and anesthesiologists to provide a practical approach to the management of labor and delivery in high-risk individuals with CVD. This expert panel will review key elements of management from mode, timing, and location of delivery to use of invasive monitoring, cardiac devices, and mechanical circulatory support.

Pheochromocytoma: Secondary Hypertension in Pregnancy.

Secondary hypertension can occur from a variety of renal and endocrine disorders. Pheochromocytoma, a rare catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumor, is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes in the absence of a timely diagnosis and a coordinated multidisciplinary approach. Clues to diagnosis include resistant hypertension or an adrenal mass on imaging.

Markers of Cardiovascular Risk Associated with Pregnancy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of the review is to summarize the unique cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors encountered during pregnancy and to provide the reader with a framework for acquiring a comprehensive obstetric history during the cardiovascular (CV) assessment of women. RECENT FINDINGS: Individuals with a history of pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), gestational diabetes (GDM), preterm delivery, low birth weight, and fetal growth restriction during pregnancy are at a higher risk of developing short- and long-term CV complications compared to those without adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). Women with a history of APOs can be at increased risk of CVD even after achieving normoglycemia and normal blood pressure control postpartum. Risk assessment and stratification in women must account for these APOs as recommended by the 2019 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guideline on the primary prevention of CVD. Early recognition, monitoring, and treatment of APOs are key to limiting CVD complications late in maternal life. Recognition of APOs as female-specific cardiovascular risk factors is critical for risk stratification for women and birthing persons. Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay between genetics, environmental, behavioral, and maternal vascular health, and the association between APOs and CVD risk.

Cardiovascular Complications of Pregnancy-Associated COVID-19 Infections.

Cardiovascular complications are frequently present in coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) infection. These include microvascular and macrovascular thrombotic complications such as arterial and venous thromboembolism, myocardial injury or inflammation resulting in infarction, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Data suggest increased risk of adverse outcomes in pregnant compared with nonpregnant women of reproductive age with COVID-19 infection, including need for intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization. Current statements addressing COVID-19-associated cardiac complications do not include pregnancy complications that may mimic COVID-19 complications such as peripartum cardiomyopathy, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, and preeclampsia. Unique to pregnancy, COVID-19 complications can result in preterm delivery and modify management of the pregnancy. Moreover, pregnancy has often been an exclusion criterion for enrollment in research studies. In this review, we summarize what is known about pregnancy-associated COVID-19 cardiovascular complications.

Arrhythmias in Pregnancy.

Increasing maternal mortality and incidence of arrhythmias in pregnancy have been noted over the past 2 decades in the United States. Pregnancy is associated with a greater risk of arrhythmias, and patients with a history of arrhythmias are at significant risk of arrhythmia recurrence during pregnancy. The incidence of atrial fibrillation in pregnancy is rising. This review discusses the management of tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias in pregnancy, including management of cardiac arrest. Management of fetal arrhythmias are also reviewed. For patients without structural heart disease, ß-blocker therapy, especially propranolol and metoprolol, and antiarrhythmic drugs, such as flecainide and sotalol, can be safely used to treat tachyarrhythmias. As a last resort, catheter ablation with minimal fluoroscopy can be performed. Device implantation can be safely performed with minimal fluoroscopy and under echocardiographic or ultrasound guidance in patients with clear indications for devices during pregnancy. Because of rising maternal mortality in the United States, which is partly driven by increasing maternal age and comorbidities, a multidisciplinary and/or integrative approach to arrhythmia management from the prepartum to the postpartum period is needed.

Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of acupuncture for angina in an underserved diverse population.

PURPOSE: Stable angina is ischemic chest pain on exertion or with emotional stress. Despite guideline-directed therapy, up to 30% of patients have suboptimal pain relief. The aims of this study were to: (1) determine the feasibility and acceptability of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of acupuncture; and (2) evaluate preliminary efficacy of acupuncture with respect to reduction of pain and increased functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS: Participants with stable angina for ⩾1 month received either a standardized acupuncture protocol, twice per week for 5 weeks, or an attention control protocol. Measures included the McGill Pain Questionnaire (average pain intensity (API), pain now) and the Seattle Angina Questionnaire-7 (functional status, symptoms, and HRQoL). Feasibility was defined as ⩾80% recruitment, ⩾75% retention following enrollment, and ⩾80% completion. Descriptive statistics and mixed-effects linear regression were used for analysis. RESULTS: The sample (n = 24) had a mean age of 59 ± 12 years, was predominantly female (63%), and represented minority groups (8% White, 52% Black, 33% Hispanic, and 8% Other). Feasibility was supported by 79% retention and 89% completion rates. The recruitment rate (68%) was slightly lower than expected. Acceptability scores were 87.9% for the acupuncture group and 51.7% for the control group. Outcomes were significantly better for the acupuncture versus control groups (API, b = -2.1 (1.1), p = 0.047; functional status, b = 27.6 (7.2), p < 0.001; and HRQoL, b = 38.8 (11.9), p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Acupuncture was feasible and acceptable in our diverse sample. We were slightly under the recruitment target of 80%, but participants who started the study had a high likelihood of completing it. Acupuncture shows promise for stable angina, but its effectiveness needs to be confirmed by a larger, adequately powered RCT. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02914834 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

The Utilization and Interpretation of Cardiac Biomarkers During Pregnancy: JACC: Advances Expert Panel.

Cardiac biomarkers are widely used in the nonpregnant population when acute cardiovascular (CV) pathology is suspected; however, the behavior of these biomarkers in the context of pregnancy is less well understood. Pregnant individuals often have symptoms that mimic those of cardiac dysfunction, and complications of pregnancy may include CV disease. This paper will summarize our current knowledge on the use of cardiac biomarkers in pregnancy and provide suggestions on how to use these tools in clinical practice based on the available evidence. Natriuretic peptides and troponin should not be measured routinely in uncomplicated pregnancy, where values should remain low as in the nonpregnant population. In the context of pre-existing or suspected CV disease, these biomarkers retain their negative predictive value. Elevations of both natriuretic peptides and troponin may occur without clear clinical significance in the immediate postpartum period. Elevations of these markers should always prompt further investigation into possible CV pathology.

Socioeconomic Determinants of Health and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Women: JACC Review Topic of the Week.

Socioeconomic disparities in cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes exist among women, particularly those of minority racial or ethnic backgrounds. Barriers to optimal cardiovascular health begin early in life-with inadequate access to effective contraception, postpartum follow-up, and maternity leave-and result in excess rates of myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death in at-risk populations. Contributing factors include reduced access to care, low levels of income and social support, and lack of diversity among cardiology clinicians and within clinical trials. These barriers can be mitigated by optimizing care access via policy change and improving physical access to care in women with geographic or transportation limitations. Addressing structural racism through policy change and bolstering structured community support systems will be key to reducing adverse cardiovascular outcomes among women of racial and ethnic minorities. Diversification of the cardiology workforce to more closely represent the patients we serve will be beneficial to all women.

Pregnancy Associated Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Risk Factors and Maternal Morbidity.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular conditions are leading contributors to increasing maternal morbidity and mortality. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) results in the majority of HF admissions in women, yet its impact in pregnancy is unknown. We examined the prevalence rates, risk factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with HFpEF during pregnancy-related hospitalizations in the United States. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of pregnancy-related hospitalizations from 2002 through 2014 using the National Inpatient Sample. HFpEF cases were identified using the 428.3 International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition, Clinical Modification code. Weighting variables were used to provide national estimates, unconditional survey logistic regression to generate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) representing adjusted associations with adverse pregnancy outcomes and Joinpoint regression to estimate temporal trends. Among 58,732,977 hospitalizations, there were 3840 HFpEF cases, an overall rate of 7 cases per 100,000 pregnancy-related hospitalizations; 56% occurred postpartum, 27% during delivery, and 17% antepartum. The temporal trend for hospitalization increased throughout the timeframe by 19.4% (95% CI 13.9-25.1). HFpEF hospitalizations were more common for Black, older, or poor women. Risk factors included hypertension (chronic hypertension and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy), anemia, obesity, diabetes, renal disease and coronary atherosclerosis; all known risk factors for HFpEF. Women with HFpEF were 2.61-6.47 times more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The pregnancy-related HFpEF hospitalization prevalence has increased and is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Risk factors resemble those outside pregnancy, emphasizing the need for screening and monitoring women with risk factors during pregnancy for HFpEF.

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Management Strategies for Pregnancy Termination.

Some women have underlying cardiovascular disease that leads to increased morbidity and mortality with pregnancy. These women may choose to terminate a pregnancy rather than face this increased risk. The optimal approach for pregnancy termination in women with cardiomyopathy is not well defined. We present two women with peripartum cardiomyopathy, both modified World Health Organization (mWHO) class IV and with elevated Cardiac Disease in Pregnancy (CARPREG II) pregnancy risk stratification scores who are at the highest risk for pregnancy continuation. Both underwent induced abortion, although the procedure was performed in very different settings. These cases illustrate factors that influence the mode and setting of pregnancy termination performance.

Acupuncture to Improve Symptoms for Stable Angina: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture has demonstrated physiologic analgesic effects in Chinese patients with stable angina. One proposed mechanism of action for these analgesic effects is the downregulation of M1 macrophages, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-18, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to test a 10-session, 5-week acupuncture treatment protocol as a complementary therapy for symptoms of stable angina for American patients, who vary from Chinese patients in health care systems and other salient variables. METHODS: We are conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 69 adults (35 assigned to initial acupuncture and 34 to an attention control condition) with a medically confirmed diagnosis of stable angina, whose pain and associated symptoms have not been controlled to their satisfaction with guideline-directed medical management. Participants in the experimental group will receive a standardized traditional Chinese medicine point prescription. The attention control group will view non-pain-related health education videos over 5 weeks equal to the 10 hours of treatment for the acupuncture group. Participants will complete the McGill Pain Questionnaire and the Seattle Angina Questionnaire-7, as well as have inflammatory cytokines measured at baseline and study completion. The primary outcomes are anginal pain and quality of life. RESULTS: This study has been funded over 2 years by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute for Nursing Research. We are currently recruiting and expect to have initial results by December 2020. CONCLUSIONS: We will generate data on feasibility, acceptability, effect sizes, and protocol revisions for a future fully powered RCT of the protocol. Findings will help determine if patients with persistent ischemic symptoms experience a proinflammatory state and hyperalgesia caused by multiple neural and immune processes not always relieved with medication. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/14705.

Electrocardiographic findings in peripartum cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities and their prognostic significance in women with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). We sought to characterize ECG findings in PPCM and explore the association of ECG findings with myocardial recovery and clinical outcomes. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that ECG indicators of myocardial remodeling would portend worse systolic function and outcomes. METHODS: Standard 12-lead ECGs were obtained at enrollment in the Investigations of Pregnancy-Associated Cardiomyopathy study and analyzed for 88 women. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured by echocardiography at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Women were followed for clinical events (death, mechanical circulatory support, and/or cardiac transplantation) until 1 year. RESULTS: Half of women had an "abnormal" ECG, defined as atrial abnormality, ventricular hypertrophy, ST-segment deviation, and/or bundle branch block. Women with left atrial abnormality (LAA) had lower LVEF at 6 months (44% vs 52%, P = 0.02) and 12 months (46% vs 54%, P = 0.03). LAA also predicted decreased event-free survival at 1 year (76% vs 97%, P = 0.008). Neither left ventricular hypertrophy by ECG nor T-wave abnormalities predicted outcomes. A normal ECG was associated with recovery in LVEF to ≥50% (84% vs 49%, P = 0.001) and event-free survival at 1 year (100% vs 85%, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: ECG abnormalities are common in women with PPCM, but a normal ECG does not rule out the presence of PPCM. LAA predicted lower likelihood of myocardial recovery and event-free survival, and a normal ECG predicted favorable event-free survival.

Heart Failure in Pregnant Women: A Concern Across the Pregnancy Continuum.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States, but prevalence, correlates, and outcomes of HF-related hospitalization during antepartum, delivery, and postpartum periods remain unknown. The objective was to examine HF prevalence, correlates, and outcomes among pregnancy-related hospitalizations among women 13 to 49 years of age. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used the 2001 to 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Rates of HF were calculated by patient and hospital characteristics. Survey logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios representing the association between HF and each outcome, stratified by antepartum, delivery, and postpartum periods. Joinpoint regression was used to describe temporal trends in HF and in-hospital mortality. Over 50 million pregnancy-related hospitalizations were analyzed. The overall rate of HF was 112 cases per 100 000 pregnancy-related hospitalizations. Although postpartum encounters represented only 1.5% of pregnancy-related hospitalizations, ≈60% of HF cases occurred postpartum, followed by delivery (27.3%) and antepartum (13.2%). Among postpartum hospitalizations, there was a significant 7.1% (95% confidence interval, 4.4-9.8) annual increase in HF from 2001 to 2006, followed by a steady rate through 2011. HF rates among antepartum hospitalizations increased on average 4.9% (95% confidence interval, 3.0-6.8) annually from 2001 to 2011. Women with a diagnosis of HF were more likely to experience adverse maternal outcomes, as reflected by outcome-specific adjusted odds ratios during antepartum (2.7-25), delivery (6-195), and postpartum (1.5-6.6) periods. CONCLUSIONS: HF is associated with increased risk of maternal mortality and morbidities. During hospitalization, high-risk mothers need to be identified and surveillance programs developed before discharge.