Abstract
Purpose of Review
Pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction is a principal cause of cardiovascular disease with a steadily rising incidence of 4.98 AMI events/100,000 deliveries over the last four decades in the USA. It is also linked with significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, with maternal case fatality rate ranging from 5.1 to 37%. The management of acute myocardial infarction can be challenging in pregnant patients since treatment modalities and medication use are limited by their safety during pregnancy.
Recent Findings
Limited guidelines exist regarding the management of pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction. Routinely used medications in myocardial infarction including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), and statin therapy are contraindicated during pregnancy. Aspirin use is considered safe in pregnant women, but dual antiplatelet therapy and therapeutic anticoagulation can be associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal complications, and should only be used after a comprehensive benefit-to-risk assessment. The standard approach to revascularization requires additional caution in pregnant women. Percutaneous coronary intervention is generally considered safe but can be associated with high failure rates and poor outcomes depending on the etiology. Fibrinolytic therapy may have significant sequelae in pregnant patients, and hemodynamic management during surgery is complex and adds risk during pregnancy.
Summary
Understanding the risks and benefits of the different treatment modalities available and their utility depending on the underlying etiology, encompassed with a multidisciplinary team approach, is vital to improve outcomes and minimize maternal and fetal complications.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance
McAloon CJ, Boylan LM, Hamborg T, Stallard N, Osman F, Lim PB, et al. The changing face of cardiovascular disease 2000–2012: an analysis of the World Health Organisation global health estimates data. Int J Cardiol. 2016;224:256–64.
James AH, Jamison MG, Biswas MS, Brancazio LR, Swamy GK, Myers ER. Acute myocardial infarction in pregnancy: a United States population-based study. Circulation. 2006;113:1564–71.
Gibson P, Narous M, Firoz T, Chou D, Barreix M, Say L, et al. Incidence of myocardial infarction in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies. Eur Hear J - Qual Care Clin Outcomes. 2017;3:198–207 This meta-analysis involving acute coronary syndrome in pregnancy with studies spanning 1960 to 2011 with over 66 million pregnancies from six different countries shows a significant rise in the incidence of ACS in the United States and worldwide.
Zimmerman FH, Cameron A, Fisher LD, Grace N. Myocardial infarction in young adults: angiographic characterization, risk factors and prognosis (coronary artery surgery study registry). J Am Coll Cardiol. 1995;26:654–61.
Elkayam U, Jalnapurkar S, Barakkat MN, Khatri N, Kealey AJ, Mehra A, et al. Pregnancy-associated acute myocardial infarction: a review of contemporary experience in 150 cases between 2006 and 2011. Circulation. 2014;129:1695–702 This review highlights the pathogenesis of pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction and the high incidence of coronary dissection in these cases.
Roth A, Elkayam U. Acute myocardial infarction associated with pregnancy. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;52:171–80.
Smilowitz NR, Gupta N, Guo Y, Zhong J, Weinberg CR, Reynolds HR, et al. Acute myocardial infarction during pregnancy and the puerperium in the United States. Mayo Clin Proc. 2018;93:1404–14 Findings from this study suggest a continuously rising incidence of pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction over the last two decades with significant mortality rates.
Bates SM, Greer IA, Hirsh J, Ginsberg JS. Use of antithrombotic agents during pregnancy: the Seventh ACCP Conference on Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy. Chest. 2004;126:627S–44S.
Horlocker TT, Vandermeuelen E, Kopp SL, Gogarten W, Leffert LR, Benzon HT. Regional anesthesia in the patient receiving antithrombotic or thrombolytic therapy: American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Evidence-Based Guidelines (Fourth Edition). Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018;43:263–309 Recommendations from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine regarding epidural anesthesia with anti-thrombotic therapy aiming to reduce the risk of complications.
Cho FN. Management of pregnant women with cardiac diseases at potential risk of thromboembolism - experience and review. Int J Cardiol. 2009;136:229–32.
De Carolis S, di Pasquo E, Rossi E, Del Sordo G, Buonomo A, Schiavino D, et al. Fondaparinux in pregnancy: could it be a safe option? A review of the literature. Thromb Res. 2015;135:1049–51.
Martín M, Romero E, Morís C. Acute myocardial infarction during pregnancy. Treatment with clopidogrel. Med Clin (Barc). 2003;121:278–9.
Regitz-Zagrosek V, Blomstrom Lundqvist C, Borghi C, et al. ESC Guidelines on the management of cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy: the Task Force on the Management of Cardiovascular Diseases during Pregnancy of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J. 2011;32:3147–97.
Sliwiński W, Milczek T, Klasa-Mazurkiewicz D. Acute myocardial infarction during the second trimester of pregnancy. Ginekol Pol. 2003;74:312–6.
Havakuk O, Goland S, Mehra A, Elkayam U. Pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous coronary artery dissection: an analysis of 120 contemporary cases. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2017;10:1–12 Findings of this study show a high failure rate of percutaneous coronary intervention in spontaneous coronary artery dissection, favoring medical management in stable patients.
Leonhardt G, Gaul C, Nietsch HH, Buerke M, Schleussner E. Thrombolytic therapy in pregnancy. J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2006;21:271–6.
Antman EM, Anbe DT, Armstrong PW, Bates ER, Green LA, Hand M, et al. ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction--executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the 199). Circulation. 2004;110:588–636.
Cowan NC, De Belder MA, Rothman MT. Coronary angioplasty in pregnancy. Heart. 1988;59:588–92.
Colletti PM, Lee KH, Elkayam U. Cardiovascular imaging of the pregnant patient. Am J Roentgenol. 2013;200:515–21.
Dauer LT, Thornton RH, Miller DL, Damilakis J, Dixon RG, Marx MV, et al. Radiation management for interventions using fluoroscopic or computed tomographic guidance during pregnancy: a joint guideline of the Society of Interventional Radiology and the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe with Endors. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2012;23:19–32.
Kuba K, Wolfe D, Schoenfeld AH, Bortnick AE. Percutaneous coronary intervention in pregnancy: modeling of the fetal absorbed dose. Case Rep Obstet Gynecol. 2019;2019:1–5.
Pieper PG, Hoendermis ES, Drijver YN. Cardiac surgery and percutaneous intervention in pregnant women with heart disease. Netherlands Hear J. 2012;20:125–8.
Levine GN, Bates ER, Bittl JA, et al. 2016 ACC/AHA guideline focused update on duration of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016;68:1082 LP–1115 Guidelines on dual antiplatelet therapy based on recent trials suggesting 3 to 6 months of treatment with newer generation DES are effective in patients with coronary artery disease.
Levine GN, Bates ER, Blankenship JC, et al. 2015 ACC/AHA/SCAI focused update on primary percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: an update of the 2011 ACCF/AHA/SCAI guideline for percutaneous coronary intervention and the 2013 ACCF/AHA guideline for. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv Off J Soc Card Angiogr Interv. 2016;87:1001–19 Guidelines on dual antiplatelet therapy based on recent trials suggesting 3 to 6 months of treatment with newer generation DES are effective in ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
Levine GN, Bates ER, Bittl JA, et al. 2016 ACC/AHA guideline focused update on duration of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with coronary artery disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines: an update of the. Circulation. 2016;134:e123–55.
Vitezica I, von Heymann C, Henrich W, Bamberg C. Caesarean delivery during dual antiplatelet therapy after acute myocardial infarction and stenting. Case Reports Perinat Med. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1515/crpm-2017-0002.
Quiñones JN, Cox D, Smolinski WJ, Maksimik CA, Coassolo KM, Freudenberger R. Pregnancy in women after coronary revascularization. Obstet Med. 2014;7:168–70.
Myers GR, Hoffman MK, Marshall ES. Clopidogrel use throughout pregnancy in a patient with a drug-eluting coronary stent. Obstet Gynecol. 2011;118:432–3.
Tello-Montoliu A, Seecheran NA, Angiolillo DJ. Successful pregnancy and delivery on prasugrel treatment: considerations for the use of dual antiplatelet therapy during pregnancy in clinical practice. J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2013;36:348–51.
Klinzing P, Markert UR, Liesaus K, Peiker G. Case report: successful pregnancy and delivery after myocardial infarction and essential thrombocythemia treated with clopidogrel. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2001;28:215–6.
Banerjee S, Angiolillo DJ, Boden WE, Murphy JG, Khalili H, Hasan AA, et al. Use of antiplatelet therapy/DAPT for post-PCI patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;69:1861–70.
Boztosun B, Olcay A, Avci A, Kirma C. Treatment of acute myocardial infarction in pregnancy with coronary artery balloon angioplasty and stenting: use of tirofiban and clopidogrel. Int J Cardiol. 2008;127:413–6.
Eagle KA, Guyton RA, Davidoff R, Ewy GA, Fonger J, Gardner TJ, et al. ACC/AHA guidelines for coronary artery bypass graft surgery: executive summary and recommendations. Circulation. 1999;100:1464–80.
Hayes SN, Kim CESH, Saw J, et al. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection: current state of the science: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2018;137:e523–57. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000564.
Arnoni RT, Arnoni AS, Bonini RCA, de Almeida AFS, Neto CA, Dinkhuysen JJ, et al. Risk factors associated with cardiac surgery during pregnancy. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003;76:1605–8.
John AS, Gurley F, Schaff HV, Warnes CA, Phillips SD, Arendt KW, et al. Cardiopulmonary bypass during pregnancy. Ann Thorac Surg. 2011;91:1191–6.
Jha N, Jha AK, Chand Chauhan R, Chauhan NS. Maternal and fetal outcome after cardiac operations during pregnancy: a meta-analysis. Ann Thorac Surg. 2018;106:618–26.
O’Gara PT, Kushner FG, Ascheim DD, et al. 2013 ACCF/AHA guideline for the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013;61:485–510.
Amsterdam EA, Wenger NK, Brindis RG, Casey DE Jr, Ganiats TG, Holmes DR Jr, et al. 2014 AHA/ACC guideline for the management of patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64:e139–228.
Mehta SR, Granger CB, Boden WE, Steg PG, Bassand JP, Faxon DP, et al. Early versus delayed invasive intervention in acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med. 2009;360:2165–75.
Tweet MS, Hayes SN, Codsi E, Gulati R, Rose CH, Best PJM. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection associated with pregnancy. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;70:426–35.
Honigberg MC, Scott NS. Pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction. Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med. 2018;20:58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11936-018-0655-6.
Patel C, Akhtar H, Gupta S, Harky A. Pregnancy and cardiac interventions: what are the optimal management options? J Card Surg. 2020:1–8.
Elkayam U, Havakuk O. Pregnancy-associated coronary artery dissection: a therapeutic dilemma. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;71:469–70.
Lee R, Carr D. Pregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary artery dissection (PASCAD): an etiology for chest pain in the young peripartum patient. Can J Emerg Med. 2018;20:S64–9.
Scanlon PJ, Faxon DP, Audet A-M, Carabello B, Dehmer GJ, Eagle KA, et al. ACC/AHA guidelines for coronary angiography a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee on Coronary Angiography) developed in collaboration with the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions COMMITTEE MEMBERS TASK FORCE MEMBERS. core.ac.uk. 1999;33:1756–824. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1097(99)00126-6.
Scanlon PJ, Faxon DP, Audet A-M, Carabello B, Dehmer GJ, Eagle KA, et al. ACC/AHA guidelines for coronary angiography a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee on Coronary Angiography) developed in collaboration with the Society for Cardiac Angiography. core.ac.uk. 1999;33:1756–824. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1097(99)00126-6.
Buhimschi CS, Buhimschi IA, Malinow AM, Weiner CP. Effects of sublingual nitroglycerin on human uterine contractility during the active phase of labor. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002;187:235–8.
Halpern DG, Weinberg CR, Pinnelas R, Mehta-Lee S, Economy KE, Valente AM. Use of medication for cardiovascular disease during pregnancy: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;73:457–76.
Mehta LS, Warnes CA, Bradley E, Burton T, Economy K, Mehran R, et al. Cardiovascular considerations in caring for pregnant patients: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020;141:e884–903. https://doi.org/10.1161/cir.0000000000000772.
Late-preterm MI. ACOG Committee Opinion #327. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;107:213.
Ruys TPE, Cornette J, Roos-Hesselink JW. Pregnancy and delivery in cardiac disease. J Cardiol. 2013;61:107–12.
Hankins GD, Wendel GDJ, Leveno KJ, Stoneham J. Myocardial infarction during pregnancy: a review. Obstet Gynecol. 1985;65:139–46.
Kealey AJ. Coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction in pregnancy: a review of epidemiology, diagnosis, and medical and surgical management. Can J Cardiol. 2010;26:185–9.
Tanaka H, Kamiya C, Katsuragi S, Tanaka K, Yoshimatsu J, Ikeda T. Effect of epidural anesthesia in labor; pregnancy with cardiovascular disease. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol. 2018;57:190–3.
Wiznitzer A, Mayer A, Novack V, Sheiner E, Gilutz H, Malhotra A, et al. Association of lipid levels during gestation with preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus: a population-based study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009;201:482.e1–8.
Van HIM, Boersma E, Johnson MR, et al. Global cardiac risk assessment in the Registry Of Pregnancy And Cardiac disease: results of a registry from the European Society of Cardiology:523–33.
Silversides CK, Grewal J, Mason J, Sermer M, Kiess M, Rychel V, et al. Pregnancy outcomes in women with heart disease: the CARPREG II study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;71:2419–30 This trial provides important prognostic factors in pregnant women with cardiovascular disease and the importance of risk stratification prior to conception.
Baris L, Hakeem A, Moe T, et al. Acute coronary syndrome and ischemic heart disease in pregnancy: data from the EURObservational Research Programme-European Society of Cardiology Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020;9:e015490.
Lameijer H, Burchill LJ, Baris L, Ruys TP, Roos-Hesselink JW, Mulder BJM, et al. Pregnancy in women with pre-existent ischaemic heart disease: a systematic review with individualised patient data. Heart. 2019;105:873–80.
Cantwell R, Clutton-Brock T, Cooper G, et al. Saving mothers’ lives: reviewing maternal deaths to make motherhood safer: 2006-2008. Eighth Report of the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the United Kingdom. BJOG. 2011;118(Suppl):1–203.
Siu SC, Sermer M, Colman JM, et al. Prospective multicenter study of pregnancy outcomes in women with heart disease. Circulation. 2001;104:515–21.
Janion-Sadowska A, Sadowski M, Kurzawski J, Zandecki Ł, Janion M. Pregnancy after acute coronary syndrome: a proposal for patients’ management and a literature review. Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/957027.
Hunter S, Robson SC. Adaptation of the maternal heart in pregnancy. Heart. 1992;68:540–3.
Soma-Pillay P, Nelson-Piercy C, Tolppanen H, Mebazaa A. Physiological changes in pregnancy. Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016;27:89–94.
Adlam D, Alfonso F, Maas A, Vrints C. European Society of Cardiology, acute cardiovascular care association, SCAD study group: a position paper on spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Eur Heart J. 2018;39:3353–68.
Pan AL, Fergusson D, Hong R, Badawi RA. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection following topical hormone replacement therapy. Case Reports Cardiol. 2012;2012:1–3.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent
This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This article is part of the Topical Collection on Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Alameh, A., Jabri, A., Aleyadeh, W. et al. Pregnancy-Associated Myocardial Infarction: A Review of Current Practices and Guidelines. Curr Cardiol Rep 23, 142 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-021-01579-z
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-021-01579-z