Cardiovascular disorders in Africa

The availability of basic and reliable data on cardiovascular problems in Africans is limited and this hinders the presentation of a comprehensive review of the subject. Nevertheless, there is a strong suggestion that the spectrum and pattern of cardiovascular disorders in Africa is rapidly becoming indistinguishable from that observed in developed countries. The classic risk factors appear to be on the rise and smoking may attain levels equal to or exceeding those in many developed countries. Infectious and inflammatory cardiovascular conditions may still be the most common, although limitations in the technology available for accurate diagnosis make this difficult to verify. Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease remain common, and the potential for educational and other preventive strategies is being realized in many countries. Hypertension at frequencies exceeding 5-10% in most rural areas and 12% in most urban areas, together with complications such as stroke, heart failure and renal failure, are leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Hypertension is the major public health problem in most African countries. The cardiomyopathies are a common problem, and the limited availability of specific diagnostic procedures is matched by limited therapeutic options for most Africans. The prevalence of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease and its complications, such as myocardial infarction and other degenerative disorders, remains low, but the situation is rapidly changing, especially in urban areas where appropriate diagnostic capabilities exist. It is thought that changes or modifications in lifestyle, risk-prone behaviour, diet, cultural attitudes and certain other consequences of rapid urbanization and demographic tendencies largely explain the observed trends.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)