Pregnancy related Heart Attack (Blood Clot)?

[Rebecca Miller]

I'm looking for articles and/or information.  I appreciate your forum.

I am a 40 year old woman who had a heart attack 3 weeks ago.  I was 6 weeks post partum.  An angiogram showed a small blood clot in the lower right ventricle.  I don't drink to excess, I don't smoke.  I exercised regularly through out the pregnancy. I eat a mostly vegetarian diet.  My cholesterol is "normal".  I am taking Atenolol and Imdur.  I still have angina which lasts for days with just about any exercertion (my cardiologist seems to think this is normal - but I'm frustrated).  I am scheduled for a stress test in 3 more weeks.

I have three questions:
1) are there any articles that discuss blood clots and post pregnancy?
2) it's been three weeks, is it really "normal" to still have chest pains? (is there a good article on what to expect during recovery after a heart attack?)
3) is it "normal" procedure to wait 6 weeks after an attack to do a stress test?

Thank you.

[CCF CARDIO MD JMF]

Dear Caroline,

thank you for sharing this experience.  I wish you the best of luck with your pregnancy.

[Caroline]

Rebecca,

Could you please send me an Email and tell me what happened?
I am pregnant and suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.  Did they
have to give you the defib paddles?  My email address is
***@****

Caroline

[CCF CARDIO MD JMF]

Dear REbecca,

I would recommend a full evaluation of this chest pin post MI with a cardiac catheterization.  ( Have you had one?).  Pain after an MI signals lack of blood flow and an at risk territory.   Immediately post-partum women are more prone to clotting although this is usually venous clots and not arterial.  This may be unrelated to your pregnancy and just may indicate coronary disease.  

It is normal to wait 6 weeks after an MI to do a submax test, but not if a person is having post MI pain.  Please re address this with your MD.

Please remember, that women obviously do have cardiac disease.  You are not necessarily protected because you are young and female. Please address this with your MD on Monday.