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Forgotten cardiovascular diseases in Africa

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Abstract

Much of the global burden of cardiovascular disease is now carried by low and middle income countries. Unfortunately, many of these regions are still grappling with poverty and infection-related cardiovascular diseases, such as endomyocardial fibrosis, tuberculous pericarditis and rheumatic heart disease. In addition, Africa has its unique diseases that occur more commonly in Africans as peripartum cardiomyopathy or, almost uniquely in Africa, as subvalvular aneurysm. We present our perspective on forgotten cardiovascular disease in Africa in the context of the epidemic of cardiovascular disease due to global changes in life style.

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Acknowledgment

We would like to thank Dr. Elias Zigiriadis for providing the intra-operative photographs from the submitral aneurysm.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hatter Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa

    Karen Sliwa

  2. Instituto do Coracao, Maputo, Mozambique

    Ana Olga Mocumbi

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  1. Karen Sliwa
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Correspondence to Karen Sliwa.

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Sliwa, K., Mocumbi, A.O. Forgotten cardiovascular diseases in Africa. Clin Res Cardiol 99, 65–74 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-009-0094-1

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