Background: The epidemiology of heart failure in Arabia, with a population different from the West in cultural and ethnic origin, has not been studied before. Aims: To determine the prevalence and aetiologies of symptomatic heart failure in an indigenous Arab population over a 3-year period. Methods: All patients with heart failure G 13 years of age, treated at the only secondary care hospital of the Dhakliya region of Oman between 1992 and 1994 were evaluated prospectively by clinical history and physical examination. Chest radiograph and echo-Doppler studies were used to confirm the diagnosis of heart failure. Exercise stress testing andror coronary angiography were also performed in patients ) 30 years of age, or earlier if ischaemic heart disease was suspected. Results: A total of 1164 patients were identified giving a prevalence of 5.17r1000 Ž . population during the study period 6.04r1000 among males and 4.21r1000 among females; P -0.001 . The prevalence Ž . increased with age from 1.05r1000 in age group -45 years to 15.7r1000 in 45᎐64 years P-0.001 and 25.2r1000 in G 65 Ž . Ž . Ž . years P -0.001 . Common causes of heart failure were ischaemic heart disease 51.7% , hypertensive heart disease 24.9% Ž . and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy 8.3% . Valvular heart disease and lung diseases causing heart failure were less common. Conclusion: The prevalence of symptomatic heart failure was appreciably significant in the population studied, showed a male preponderance and was frequent in people aged G 45 years. Ischaemic heart disease and hypertension were the commonest aetiologies but idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy was also present in a significant number of patients being relatively more prevalent than reported from the West. ᮊ

We analysed the incidence and spectrum of congenital heart disease (CHD) in the Sultanate of Oman from 1994 to 1996. CHD was detected in 992 of 139,707 live births (incidence 7.1/1000 live births). The common CHDs were ventricular septal defect (24.9%), atrial septal defect (14.4%) and patent ductus arteriosus (10.3%). The frequency of atrioventricular septal defects (5.9%) was higher than reported from other countries. Age at diagnosis was under 1 month in 38% and 1-12 months in 40%. Cyanotic CHD was found in 21.7% of the whole group and 35% of neonates. Although this was a hospital-based study, we believe we included almost all the infants and children with CHD in the country. The incidence and pattern of CHD in Oman were similar to those reported from developed countries in Europe and America, except for a higher frequency of atrioventricular septal defects. The high prevalence of consanguinity in the country did not affect the overall incidence of CHD.

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