{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,4]],"date-time":"2026-06-04T09:49:51Z","timestamp":1780566591668,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":9,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2015,6,10]],"date-time":"2015-06-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1433894400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Obstet Med"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p> Shortness of breath is a common physiological pregnancy presentation, secondary to both hormonal and mechanical effects. Its pathological causes are common (asthma exacerbation or infection); new-onset cardiac pathology is rarely considered. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Case<\/jats:title><jats:p> JC, a 39-year old G4P2T1, presented at 34 weeks\u2019 gestation with shortness of breath unrelieved by salbutamol. History included asthma, poly-drug abuse and smoking. Initial presentation was consistent with asthma exacerbation and she was treated as such. There was deterioration of symptoms and on re-examination raised jugular venous pressure was noted with bibasal lung crepitations and cardiac systolic murmur. Echocardiogram showed severe cardiomyopathy (left ventricular ejection fraction 20%). JC was commenced on diuretics, digoxin and fluid restricted. Labour was induced at 35 weeks\u2019 gestation, with birth of a healthy female infant (BW 2475\u2009g) by elective assisted vaginal delivery. Cardiac function improved in subsequent weeks, confirming peripartum cardiomyopathy. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p> Peripartum cardiomyopathy affects 1 in 2500\u20134000 live births. Over 90% of women regain normal cardiac function postpartum with optimal medical management. Peripartum cardiomyopathy presents a diagnostic conundrum as its primary symptoms mimic not only those of normal pregnancy but also a number of other, more common conditions. It is important to consider cardiac causes of shortness of breath initially, and vital to revisit an initial non-cardiac shortness of breath diagnosis if there is no sustained improvement with treatment. In this case, asthma history and initial wheeze on examination impeded correct diagnosis; however, the situation was re-evaluated and correct diagnosis made when the patient\u2019s shortness of breath deteriorated. Subsequent multidisciplinary management and birth in an appropriate setting facilitated the best outcome for both mother and baby. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/1753495x15590020","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,6,12]],"date-time":"2015-06-12T00:05:20Z","timestamp":1434067520000},"page":"149-151","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["All that wheezes is not asthma: A cautionary case study of shortness of breath in pregnancy"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"8","author":[{"given":"Nicla A","family":"Varnier","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarah","family":"Chwah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Trent","family":"Miller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Franziska","family":"Pettit","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Renal Medicine, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mark","family":"Brown","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Renal Medicine, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Rees","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amanda","family":"Henry","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia"},{"name":"School of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, UNSW Medicine, Sydney, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,6,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1753495X15590020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.001851"},{"key":"bibr2-1753495X15590020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/eurjhf\/hfq120"},{"key":"bibr3-1753495X15590020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/AOG.0b013e318229e6de"},{"key":"bibr4-1753495X15590020","first-page":"53","volume":"6","author":"Ali Z","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Asthma Allergy"},{"key":"bibr5-1753495X15590020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/thx.2005.049718"},{"key":"bibr6-1753495X15590020","first-page":"510","volume":"36","author":"Joseph SM","year":"2009","journal-title":"Tex Heart Inst J"},{"key":"bibr7-1753495X15590020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ncpcardio0640"},{"key":"bibr8-1753495X15590020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cardfail.2009.03.008"},{"key":"bibr9-1753495X15590020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijgo.2009.10.011"}],"container-title":["Obstetric Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1753495X15590020","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1753495X15590020","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1753495X15590020","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,1]],"date-time":"2025-03-01T16:10:22Z","timestamp":1740845422000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1753495X15590020"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2015,6,10]]},"references-count":9,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,9]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1753495X15590020"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1753495x15590020","relation":{},"ISSN":["1753-495X","1753-4968"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1753-495X","type":"print"},{"value":"1753-4968","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2015,6,10]]}}}