Peripartum heart failure associated with prolonged tocolytic therapy.

beta-Adrenergic receptor agonist tocolysis has been reported to cause noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. We report an association between chronic terbutaline therapy and cardiomyopathy in peripartum women. Among 15 gravidas who had peripartum heart failure, 4 had received prolonged terbutaline tocolysis. Although those four patients had completely normalized ventricular function, only 7 of the 11 others recovered. We suggest that gravidas receiving long-term beta-sympathomimetic tocolysis undergo close evaluation of cardiac function.