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Congestive cardiac failure in elderly Nigerians: a prospective clinical study
Tropical and Geographical Medicine
|September 1, 1981
Summary
Congestive cardiac failure in elderly Nigerians is often caused by hypertension and heart enlargement, with no coronary artery disease observed. Ventricular conduction defects and anemia were common coexisting conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Geriatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Congestive cardiac failure (CCF) is a significant health concern in elderly populations worldwide.
- Understanding the specific etiological factors and clinical presentations of CCF in different ethnic and geographical groups is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Previous studies on CCF in elderly Nigerians are limited, necessitating further investigation into prevalent causes and associated conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the causes, clinical characteristics, and common coexisting diseases in elderly Nigerian patients presenting with congestive cardiac failure.
- To identify the most frequent electrocardiographic (E.C.G.) abnormalities associated with CCF in this demographic.
- To determine the prevalence of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease as a cause of CCF in the study population.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study was conducted involving 221 elderly Nigerian patients diagnosed with congestive cardiac failure.
- Data were collected from Ahmadu Bello University Hospital, Zaria, and Ife University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, between 1974 and 1979.
- Clinical evaluation, electrocardiography (E.C.G.), and assessment for coexisting diseases were performed.
Main Results:
- Hypertension, idiopathic cardiomegaly, and pulmonary heart disease were identified as the primary causes of cardiac failure.
- No cases of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease were observed in the study cohort.
- Ventricular conduction defect was the most common E.C.G. abnormality, and mild to moderate anemia was the most frequent coexisting condition in over half of the patients.
Conclusions:
- The leading causes of congestive cardiac failure in elderly Nigerians differ from those commonly seen in Western populations, with a notable absence of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.
- Hypertension and cardiac enlargement are significant etiological factors, alongside pulmonary heart disease.
- Ventricular conduction defects and anemia are prevalent comorbidities that require consideration in the management of CCF in this population.