[Heart failure in Brazil. The EPICA-Niteroi study]

In this paper we review various problems of cardiovascular disease, particularly heart failure (HF), in Brazil. Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in Brazil, and heart failure is the most common cause of hospitalization in the Brazilian health system. The problem is even more serious GIVEN that the population is ageing rapidly; by 2025 the country will be ranked sixth worldwide in terms of numbers of old people. According to figures from DATA-SUS, HF is the most important cause of hospital admissions among the elderly in the Brazilian health system. The most frequent etiologies of HF encountered in clinical practice are coronary artery disease and hypertension. Another problem is the difficulty experienced by a large proportion of the population in gaining access to public health services; the health system is unable to cope with the needs of the population and the costs involved. An important reason for including HF under the public health system is the low socioeconomic level of many patients, which leads them to abandon treatment.