An emerging picture of heart failure in Africa

One of the largest and most comprehensive studies of heart failure to date in Africa has shown that the disease is a big problem and that although the traditional causes of HF - which differ from those seen in Western nations - still predominate, there are signs that the range of etiologies is broadening. This has important implications for primary- and secondary-prevention strategies, say Dr Simon Stewart (Diabetes Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia) and colleagues from South Africa in a report published online November 24, 2008 in Circulation. - TheHeart.org