Close to 30 million Americans don’t have health insurance, so most aren’t able to afford these medications or medical devices. For a person on federal minimum wage, it is 65% of their income. We should all have access to life-saving medical help. This will help our mission to increase peripartum cardiomyopathy awareness and save as many mothers as possible.

Here are a few organizations that can help with medical costs provided by the DCM Foundation.

PAN Foundation Phone: 1-866-316-7263 – Offering financial assistance to help people with serious illnesses afford their out-of-pocket treatment costs and improve their quality of life.

Patient Advocate Foundation Phone: 1-866-512-3861 – Provides direct services to patients with chronic, life-threatening, and debilitating diseases to help them access care and treatment recommended by their doctor.

Healthwell Foundation Phone: 1-800-675-8416 – Helping the under-insured afford critical medical treatments — because no one should go without essential care.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of maternal death and is responsible for >33% of pregnancy-related deaths, including cardiomyopathy (10.8%), other cardiovascular conditions (15.1%), and cerebrovascular accidents (7.6%). 

LetsTalkPPCM is committed to doing everything we can to change that unacceptable reality, including mobilizing the voice of everyone affected by this disease to achieve lasting change through education and advocacy. We’ve transformed how the world treats and talks about this disease and have mobilized the largest and most passionate community. 

A physician can prescribe several medications to treat symptoms, with variations that are safer for breastfeeding women.

• (ACE) inhibitors – Help the heart work more efficiently

• Beta-blockers – cause the heart to beat more slowly so it has a recovery time

• Diuretics – Reduce fluid retention

• Digitalis – Derived from the foxglove plant, it has been used for over 200 years to treat heart failure. Digitalis strengthens the pumping ability of the heart.

• Blood Thinners – To help thin the blood. Patients with PPCM are at increased risk of developing blood clots, especially if the EF is very low.

• Implantable or wearable defibrillator to remotely manage the heart rhythm if EF is <35%.

• Entresto (Recommended) in heart treatment guidelines to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in patients with chronic heart failure (NYHA Class II-IV) and reduced ejection fraction. 

Cardiac rehabilitation is a supervised program that includes: Physical activity. Education about healthy living, including how to eat healthily, take medicine as prescribed, and quit smoking. Counseling to find ways to relieve stress and improve mental health.

The first stages of most cardiac rehabilitation programs generally last about three months, but some people will follow the program longer. In special situations, some people might be able to do an intensive program for several hours a day that can last one or two weeks.

Many patients that are referred to Cardiac Rehab may not have transportation or stay within a certain mile of the facility for local transportation services. 

We have partnered with CardiacFITT, a Healthcare Management program designed to improve the health and quality of life of individuals with two or more chronic health conditions. They are a physician-directed, nurse-case-managed, customized exercise and lifestyle program that provides a safe and convenient way for individuals to manage their conditions while engaging them in their healthcare. 

How does it work?

Once qualified, they partner with your physician to monitor your health from your home and while you exercise.   

Our highly qualified medical professionals are excited to help make your health journey easier for you and your family. Tell them LetsTalkPPCM referred you!

LEARN MORE ABOUT CardiacFITT or Click Below to Get started and USE PPCM as your note code.