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Tel No: 763-374-5025
Fax: 763-496-1217
Email:reach@prsheart.org
Website: www.prsheart.org
 
Project REACH - South Sahara
is a registered 501c(3) nonprofit organization, funded by private donations from corporations, foundations, individual contributions and several special events through the year.
EIN - 208204164

 

Congenital Heart Disease

 

The term Congenital means inborn or existing at birth. Congenital heart defects occur when the heart or blood vessels near the heart develop abnormally before birth and the baby is born with them.  Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect and are the number one cause of death from birth defects during the first year of life. Because many congenital heart defects are not obvious at birth and only appear weeks, months or years later, the exact incidence of congenital heart defects is very difficult to determine. It is thought that almost 1% of babies are born with a heart defect.
 

In most cases the cause is not known. A heart defect forms during early pregnancy (between the 6th and 12th week) - very often before a mother realises that she is pregnant. Sometimes the cause can be identified. A mother may have an increased risk of having a baby with a heart defect if during pregnancy she: has a viral infection such as German measles, suffers from diabetes, conditions such as Down's Syndrome, uses certain medications, abuses alcohol and "street" drugs. A family history also plays a role in congenital heart defects. It is, however, important to emphasize that the abnormality is not the fault of the parents.

Learn More >>> www.heartpoint.com

 

Cardiomyopathy

 

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle.  The known causes of cardiomyopathy are many, and include coronary artery disease and valvular heart disease.  Cardiomyopathy occurs in three major types, all of which affect your heart's ability to pump blood and deliver it to the rest of your body.  Treatment of cardiomyopathy depends on which type you have and may include medications, implantable devices or, in severe cases, a heart transplant.
Learn More >>> AHA



Hypertension

 

Hypertension is a major problem in the black population of sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence varies from rural to urban populations. There is a "second wave" epidemic of cardiovascular disease that is now flowing through developing countries and the former socialist republics. There are genetic, endocrine, environmental, and renal physiological factors that contribute to hypertension.   The prevention of cardiovascular diseases presents a challenge. Strategies to prevent the acquisition or enhancement of CVD risk factors must be combined to reverse or reduce risk factors, which include changes in lifestyle and diet brought about by rapid urbanization. The approach should be nonpharmacological, population based, and lifestyle linked.

 

 

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Rheumatic Fever / Heart Disease
Rheumatic fever usually follows an untreated beta-hemolytic streptococcal throat infection in children.  It can affect many parts of the body, and may result in rheumatic heart disease, in which the heart valves are permanently damaged, and which may progress to heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and embolic stroke.  Nowadays, rheumatic fever mostly affects children in developing countries, especially where poverty is widespread.  Up to 1% of all school children in Africa, Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean region, and Latin America show signs of the disease.  Of 12 million people currently affected by rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, two thirds are children between 5 and 15 years of age. 

There are around 300,000 deaths each year, with two million people requiring repeated hospitalization and one million likely to require surgery in the next 5 to 20 years.  Early treatment of streptococcal sore throat can preclude the development of RF.  If treated 75% of people with RF recover completely.  Regular long term penicillin treatment can prevent RF becoming RHD, and can halt disease progression in people whose heart valves are already damaged by the disease.  In many developing countries, as in the South Sahara Community.  Lack of awareness of these measures, coupled with shortages of money and resources, are the important barriers to the control to the disease.
To Learn More >>>  Links
ctsnet.org
 heartpoint.com
AHA.org