A systematic review of epidemiology, treatment and prognosis of heart failure in adults in Ethiopia.

Abstract

Systematic characterization of heart failure in adults in Ethiopia is lacking currently. In this review, we sought to summarize the available scientific evidence on the epidemiology, treatment and prognosis of heart failure in adults in Ethiopia. A systematic review of PUBMED, EMBASE and SCOPUS was conducted for studies published between January 1990 and July 2017. Studies reporting on incidence, prevalence, treatment or prognosis of heart failure in individuals older than 14 years of age were included. The search yielded 66 articles, out of which nine were found to be eligible for inclusion in this review. There are no studies reporting the incidence or prevalence of heart failure in the adult population in Ethiopia. There are, however, indications that heart failure might be a significant burden in the country, and typically affects middle-aged adults. Valvular heart disease, predominantly related to rheumatic heart disease, is the most commonly identified heart failure cause across the included studies. There are very limited data on treatment and prognosis. There is limited scientific evidence on the epidemiology, treatment and prognosis of heart failure in adults in Ethiopia. Further studies are needed for the better understanding of the burden and treatment of heart failure in the adult population in Ethiopia.