The cause of endomyocardial fibrosis in Uganda.

The cause of endomyocardial fibrosis in Uganda remains unknown in spite of studies dating back to 1948. Herbal decoctions have been used by traditional healers for countless generations to treat many complaints, especially fever. We present evidence - ethnic, geographical, tribal, pathological and distribution by age - that the toxic herbal decoctions taken as medicines in Uganda can cause endomyocardial fibrosis.

Cardiomyopathy in Africa: heredity versus environment.

Unlike other parts of the world in which cardiomyopathy is rare, heart muscle disease is endemic in Africa. The major forms of cardiomyopathy in Africa are dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF). Whereas DCM is a major cause of heart failure throughout the continent, EMF is restricted to the tropical regions of East, Central, and West Africa.