Neglected cardiomyopathies in Africa

Abstract

Size of the problemCardiomyopathies constitute a huge burden to both communities and health systems in Africa. Together with rheumatic heart disease, tuberculous pericarditis, systemic hypertension and its complications, cardiomyopathies are the major causes of heart disease in black African populations, causing great morbidity and mortality in young and economically active people (6,7) and being responsible for more than 20% of all admissions for cardiovascular diseases in both children and adults.EMF, the most common cardiomyopathy in African children and adolescents, shows great geographic variation with areas of higher incidence being the tropical regions of East, Central and West of the continent, (9) where it accounts for up to 20% of cases of heart failure. (5,7,10)

Isolated right ventricular endomyocardial fibrosis in a young male with chronic myeloid leukemia (RCD code: III-3F.2)

“…In the previous case reports most cases of EMF were diagnosed on echocardiograms, which is a valuable tool for the evaluation of EMF [17]. Echocardiogram shows obliteration of the apex in showing hypo-enhanced region in the right ventricular apex, indicated by the arrow the affected ventricle along with thickened endocardium, sometimes resembling a mass.…”

Right Ventricular Endomyocardial Fibrosis in Neonate—A Case Report

“…Echocardiography is the most valuable tool for the diagnosis of EMF [20]. Mocumbi et al [14] have described the echocardiographic criteria to diagnose EMF and the criteria described in the literature apply only to the disease in the advanced stages [21].…”