A Curious Case in Critical Care
Fri, 12/29/2017 - 9:29pm
32 year-old female wtih no PMH presents with headache, nausea, and blurred vision for 2 days. Vitals normal except for BP of 155/100 and an unremarkable exam. She starts to have a seizure as her husband holding their newborn baby walk into the room. Diagnosis? (scroll down for answer)
Answer: Postpartum eclampsia
Postpartum ecclampsia
- ~10-40% of preeclamptic/ecclamptic cases occur in post-partum period
- Most often occurs 24-48 hours after delivery but can occur up to 6 months after delivery
- Treatment is the same as antepartum ecclampsia – IV magnesium, IV labetalol or hydralazine for HTN, and supportive care