Profile of cardiac disease in Cameroon and impact on health care services.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have emerged as a major public health problem and impose an escalating burden on the health care system in Cameroon. The aim of the study was to investigate the preparedness of health care services for patients presenting with CVD in general and specifically, in St. Elizabeth catholic general hospital Shisong, cardiac centre. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between November 2009 and November 2011, a population of 8,389 adults and 706 children consulted the referral cardiac centre of St. Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital. The patients' age ranges between 5 days and 103 years old, with a mean of 48.7±18 years. Female represented 54.2% of the total population. RESULTS: Hypertension was diagnosed in 41.5% of patients. Isolated systolic hypertension was rarely found (4.2%) and 45.2% of patients were classified as class II according to the JNC7. Congestive heart failure was diagnosed in 29.6%. Forty-four percent of patients were in class III and 7% in class IV heart failure (NYHA). Arrhythmia was seen in 12.2% cases, with atrial fibrillation in 35.2%, followed by ventricular ectopic beats in 20.3%. Stable angina was diagnosed in 1.5%, and acute myocardial infarction 0.9%. In children, the prevalence of congenital heart disease was (4.3%). The disease the most detected was isolated ventricular septal defect, followed by tetralogy of Fallot. Post rheumatic valvulopathies were the main cause of heart failure in teenagers and young adults. Valve replacement with a mechanical valve was performed in 110 patients, valvuloplasty in eight patients, and surgical correction of congenital heart diseases in 105 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our data, collected in a rural area, shows the high prevalence of hypertension in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Congestive heart failure mainly due to post rheumatic valvulopathies is common amongst children and young adults.

Occurrence, aetiology and challenges in the management of congestive heart failure in sub-Saharan Africa: experience of the Cardiac Centre in Shisong, Cameroon.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to investigate the occurrence, the aetiology and the management of congestive heart failure in the cardiac centre of the St. Elizabeth catholic general hospital Shisong in Cameroon. METHODS: Between November 2002 and November 2008, a population of 8121 patients was consulted in the referral cardiac centre of St. Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital. Of these patients, 462 were diagnosed with congestive heart failure according to the modified Framingham criteria for the diagnosis of heart failure. Complementary investigations used to confirm and establish the aetiology of the disease were the chest X-ray, electrocardiography, bi-dimensional Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: The results showed that the occurrence of congestive heart failure in our centre was 5.7%. Congestive heart failure was diagnosed in 198 females and 264 males, aged between 8 and 86 years old (42.5±18 years old). Post rheumatic valvulopathies (14.6%) and congenital heart diseases (1.9%) were the first aetiologic factor of congestive heart failure in the young, meanwhile cardiomyopathies (8.3%) in elderly followed by hypertensive cardiomyopathy (4.4%). Congestive heart failure was also seen in adults with congenital heart diseases in 0.01%. In this zone of Cameroon, we discovered that HIV cardiomyopathy (1.6%) and Cor pulmonale (8%) were represented, aetiological factors not mentioned in previous studies conducted in urban areas of Cameroon. The mean duration of hospital stay for the compensation treatment was thirteen days, ranging between 7 and 21 days), the mortality being 9.2%. All the medications recommended for the treatment of congestive heart failure are available in our centre but many patients are not compliant to the therapy or cannot afford them. Financial limitation is causing the exacerbation of the disease and premature death. CONCLUSION: Our data show a high incidence of congestive heart failure mainly due to post rheumatic valvulopathies in young patients in our centre. National program to fight against rheumatic fever and complications are of great urgency in our country. The compensation treatment of congestive heart failure is challenging in our milieu, characterized by poor compliance and financial limitations.

The first coronary by-pass grafting surgery done in western and central Africa.

Africa bears a significant proportion of the global burden of chronic diseases, along with poor countries of Asia and Latin America. The World Health Organisation projects that over the next ten years the Continent will experience the largest increase in death rates from cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes. Probably for the first time in Western and Central Africa, the very first coronary artery bypass surgery grafting was performed in the Cardiac Centre of Shisong in Cameroon.