Heart failure in a multiethnic population in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Background: There are established differences in cardiovascular disease in different racial groups. Worldwide, the literature regarding the clinical epidemiology of congestive heart failure (CHF) in non-white populations is scarce. Objectives: To document the prevalence of CHF in the multiracial population of Malaysia, and to describe the clinical features and management of these patients. Setting: Busy city centre general hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Results: Of 1435 acute medical admissions to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital over the 4-week study period, 97 patients (6.7%) were admitted with the primary diagnosis of CHF. Coronary artery disease was the main aetiology of CHF, accounting for almost half (49.5%) the patients, followed by hypertension (18.6%). However, there were variations in associated aetiological factors between ethnic groups, with diabetes mellitus affecting the majority of Indians-as well as underutilisation of standard drugs for CHF, such as the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which were only used in 43.3%. Conclusion: Amongst acute medical admissions to a single centre in Malaysia the prevalence of CHF was 6.7%. Coronary artery disease was the major aetiological factor in heart failure accounting for almost half the admissions. The under-prescription of ACE inhibitors was similar to other clinical surveys carried out amongst Caucasian populations in the West. (C) 2003 European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.