Severe pulmonary embolism and acute lower limb ischemia complicating peripartum cardiomyopathy successfully treated by streptokinase

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a cardiac disease at high thromboembolism potential. The authors report a case of peripartum cardiomyopathy admitted for congestive heart failure. Echocardiography found a dilated cardiomyopathy with severely impaired left ventricular systolic function and biventricular thrombi. During hospitalization his condition was complicated by severe bilateral pulmonary embolism and left lower limb arterial acute thrombosis. The treatment consisted of thrombolysis with streptokinase associated with dobutamine (in addition to the conventional treatment of heart failure and bromocriptine). The outcome was favorable, marked by pulmonary and lower limb arterial unblocking.