Summary
Arrhythmias in pregnancy
del Pozo Vegas C, Pérez Díez D
Affiliation of the authors
Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, Valladolid, Spain. Unidad de Arritmias, Área del Corazón, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
DOI
Quote
del Pozo Vegas C, Pérez Díez D. Arrhythmias in pregnancy. Emergencias. 2013;25:397-408
Summary
The hemodynamic and hormonal changes of pregnancy and the presence of underlying
structural heart disease are factors that can lead to arrhythmias. In general, such
arrhythmias can be easily managed and have no serious consequences for mother or
fetus. Occasionally, however, they can be life-threatening for both. It is important to be
able to identify the type of arrhythmia present and understand its hemodynamic effects
in order to plan a management approach. Knowledge of the safety profile of available
antiarrhythmia agents and their appropriate dosages will also be required. A series of
special circumstances must be taken into consideration when undertaking resuscitation
maneuvers for advanced life support in pregnancy. Our aim is to review current
knowledge that is necessary for providing adequate care for mother and fetus when
arrhythmias develop.