Cardiac disease in pregnancy and drug therapy

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Special Scenarios: I. Pre-existing Cardiac Disease: Congenital Heart Disease Repaired Congenital Heart Disease Pulmonary Hypertension Rheumatic Heart Disease Connective Tissue Disorders II. Valvular Heart Disease: Mitral Stenosis Mitral Regurgitation Aortic Insufficiency Aortic Stenosis Mechanical Prosthetic Valves Tissue Prosthetic Valves III. Cardiomyopathy: Dilated Cardiomyopathy Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Peripartum Cardiomyopathy IV. Cardiac diseases that may develop During Pregnancy: Arrhythmias Acute Myocardial Infarction Hypertension
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBss), aldosterone antagonists and warfarin should be avoided in pregnancy.

Contraindicated Drugs

• ACE inhibitors can cause morbidity in 30% of fetuses after 14 weeks due to renal tubular dysplasia, neonatal renal failure, oligohydroamnios, reduced cranial oosification and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR)
• Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBss). These agents are safe during lactation though.
• Aldosterone antagonists cause antiandrogenic effects in the first trimester and should be avoided.
• Warfarin is teratogenic

Drugs to be Avoided or Used with Caution

• Amiodarone is a pregnancy category D drug. Amiodarone has been associated with fetal hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, fetal bradycardia, intrauterine growth retardation. The expert consensus is that amiodarone use should be restricted to the management of refractory maternal or fetal tachyarrhythmias. Given the long half life of amiodarone, if a woman intends to become pregnant, the drug should be discontinued several months before conception. Thyroid function tests in the neonate are recommended if the mother is administered amiodarone.
• Atenolol
• Carvedilol
• The efficacy and safety of thrombolytics is mostly untested:

• Greatest experience in massive pulmonary embolism
• Streptokinase does not cross placental membrane in animals, but Ab found in neonatal spinal cord fluid
• Urokinase not teratogenic in mice/rats
• Risk for maternal hemorrhage (1 case of placental abruption reported); increased risk when given at time of delivery
• Delivery best delayed at least 2-3 weeks

Acceptable Drugs

• IV Adenosine, which has a half life of seconds, can be used to cardiovert patients.
• ASA - low doses should be used. Complications include an increased risk of placental abruption. ASA is used in pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome and preeclampsia.
• Beta-1 selective beta-blockers such as lopressor, metoprolol can be used during pregnancy.
• Calcium channel blockers are often administered during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy to manage blood presure. However, during the first trimester during organogenesis, there may be a risk for teratogenicity based upon frog embryo studies, and CCBs are classified as pregnancy category C.
• Digoxin is a pregnancy category C drug and affects the fetus as well. Digoxin is not teratogenic and during the first half of pregnancy, the fetal heart has a reduced ability to bind digoxin. However, during the second half of human gestation, the fetal heart avidly binds and concentrates digoxin. Toxicity in the fetus and neonate is not observed until the serum level reaches 2 to 4 ng/mL, which is greater than adults where toxicity occurs at less than 2 ng/mL. The maternal dig levels should be monitored as the maternal clearance of digoxin is significantly increased.
• Diuretics can reduce placental perfusion and should be used sparingly.
• Flecaininde is a pregnancy category C drug and affects the fetus as well. Flecainide can be used to manage supraventricular tachycardia (particularly digoxin refractory SVTs) in the mother and the fetus during pregnancy.
• Hydralazine is a pregnancy category C drug, and should only be administered when the risks outweigh the benefit as with all pregnancy category C drugs. While hydralazine can be used in pregnancy, it is not a first line agent in the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy in so far as it has been associated with higher rates of placental abruption, and cesarean section.
• Magnesium
• Morphine sulfate
• Nitrates is a pregnancy category C drug, and should only be administered when the risks outweigh the benefit as with all pregnancy category C drugs. A low dose should be administered to prevent fetal distress.
• Sotalol is a pregnancy category C drug and can be used to manage supraventricular tachycardia in the mother and the fetus during pregnancy.