Clinical profile of cardiovascular diseases in pregnant women treated in a specialized clinic
Keywords:
Keywords: pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, hypertensive heart disease, maternal risk, perinatal outcome.Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy are a relevant cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, especially in women with pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors.
Objective: To describe the clinical-epidemiological profile and maternal-fetal outcomes in pregnant women with cardiovascular diseases.
Methods: An observational, descriptive, case-series study was conducted, including 91 pregnant women treated at the Cardiac Disease and Pregnancy Clinic of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Hospital, Bayamo (Cuba), between 2022 and 2024. Demographic, clinical, echocardiographic, and perinatal variables were analyzed.
Results: The overall prevalence was 23.1 %. The mean age was 26.8 ± 6.7 years, with women ≤ 25 years representing 46.2 %. Comorbidities were present in 29.7 %, mainly hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (24.2 %) and chronic hypertension (9.9 %). Most patients were in NYHA functional class I (86 %) with a mean ejection fraction of 63.4 ± 5.1 %. The main symptoms were palpitations (37.4 %), cardiac murmurs (28.6 %), and precordial pain (11.0 %). Electrocardiographic abnormalities were found in 66 %, predominantly sinus tachycardia (27.5 %) and right bundle branch block (8.8 %). The most frequent conditions were hypertensive heart disease (7.6 %), mitral valve prolapse (5.6 %), and atrial septal defect (3.2 %). According to the modified WHO classification, 57.1 % were class I and 19.0 % class II; 72.5 % received cardiovascular treatment. No maternal or fetal deaths occurred. The most common perinatal complications were low birth weight and preterm delivery.
Conclusions: Hypertensive heart disease and benign arrhythmias were the most frequent entities. Most patients had a favorable course, underscoring the importance of specialized monitoring and multidisciplinary care.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Julio César González Céspedes, Toilibou Taoufique, Luis Germán Ramírez Domínguez, Orlando Santiago Aguilar Almaguer, Alfredo Leyva Rodriguez
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