Irshad Hussain, Saqib Shafi Sheikh, Irfan Majeed.
Factors precipitating Congestive Cardiac Failure in local community.
Ann King Edward Med Uni Jan ;10(3):232-3.

Objective: To fine out the common precipitating factors of congestive cardiac failure in local population which vary from community to community depending upon educational status, socio-economic conditions and health-care facilities in the community. Study Design: Descriptive with prospective data collection. Setting : Medical Departments of Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Patients and Methods: Fifty patients having decompensated CCF diagnosed on history, clinical examination and investigations including echocardiography were included. They were thoroughly interrogated regarding various precipitating factors by history, examination and investigations. Results: Fifty patients, 2 4 males and 2 6 females were included, mean age was 40 years. The commonest etiology for CCF was rheumatic heart disease 44%, followed by ischemic heart disease with hypertension 24%, IHD alone 20%, cardiomyopathy 8%. The commonest precipitating factor was non-compliance with diet and drugs; (44%) followed by infections (16%) arrythmias (16%), uncontrolled hypertension 12% anemia 8% and peripartum cardiomyopathy 4%. Conclusion: Majority of the precipitating factors of CCF like non-compliance with drugs or diet can be prevented by better patients health education.

USER COMMENTS

As the original article is not online, I have not read it. After reading abstract I have a suggestion. It would be more helpful if 95% confidence intervals (CI) are given with each percentage. It is very easy to calculate and usually tells more about the sample. For example, 95% CI of rheumatic heart disease is 30.24-95%CI-57.76. Age should be given with standard deviation to get some idea of the age mix.
Posted by: rqayyum on Jan 2005

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