1. [Peripartum heart failure: the underestimated role of frequent diseases in the Sudan-Sahelian area].
- Author
-
Kane A, Dia AA, Diop IB, Sarr M, Ba SA, and Diouf SM
- Subjects
- Adult, Africa, Northern epidemiology, Anemia complications, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors therapeutic use, Captopril therapeutic use, Cardiotonic Agents therapeutic use, Causality, Developing Countries, Digoxin therapeutic use, Diuretics therapeutic use, Echocardiography, Female, Furosemide therapeutic use, Heart Failure diagnosis, Heart Failure drug therapy, Heart Failure etiology, Humans, Hypertension complications, Incidence, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular diagnosis, Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular drug therapy, Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular etiology, Puerperal Disorders diagnosis, Puerperal Disorders drug therapy, Puerperal Disorders etiology, Rheumatic Fever complications, Sudan epidemiology, Heart Failure epidemiology, Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular epidemiology, Puerperal Disorders epidemiology
- Abstract
Peripartum cardiomyopathy is rare in developped countries, but still frequent in Africa. It is defined as a heart failure occurring during peripartum, without any underlying etiology. Authors present 3 cases showing that heart failure before or after delivery may be due to causes which are frequent in the Sahelian area but generally misdiagnosed. Anemia, hypertension and rheumatic fever were the causes of heart failure in these 3 patients, but they were not apparent when the initial diagnosis was made. These observations emphasize that, despite the complex hypothesis trying to explain heart failure during the peripartum period, one should think about some frequent causes which can be misdiagnosed because of the pregnant state or the heart failure itself.
- Published
- 2000