BACKGROUND:

Oxytocin is the most widely used drug in obstetrics and, among other effects, is antidiuretic. High doses of it added to the volume overload typical of pregnancy and to the fluid therapy administered during labor, can trigger heart failure by several mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE:

To document a case of heart failure in the puerperium and review its etiology, clinical, diagnosis, treatment and differential diagnosis and to alert to risk factors centered on the indication of oxytocin and the administration of intrapartum serum.

CLINICAL CASE:

Patient on the third day of puerperium who was readmitted for heart failure secondary to several mechanisms: Water overload during labor induction, pericardial effusion and high doses of oxytocin.

CONCLUSIONS:

It is necessary to pay attention to fluid infusion during labor induction because the combination of an antidiuretic drug, such as oxytocin, and a high serum therapy load causes a water overload that can trigger cardiac complications.

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