Effectiveness of bromocriptine treatment in a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but potentially life-threatening disorder that occurs in late pregnancy or the early puerperium despite optimal medical therapy. Recently, oxidative stress-mediated generation of antiangiogenic and proapoptotic 16-kDa prolactin, and subsequent impaired cardiac microvascularization have been related to PPCM. In turn, prolactin blockade with bromocriptine has been proven successful in preventing the onset of PPCM in mice and in patients at high risk for the disease. Here, we report the efficacy of bromocriptine for treatment of a patient with PPCM.