Endomyocardial Fibrosis: A Rare Case of Diastolic Heart Failure in a European Caucasian Elderly Woman

Complications of Endomyocardial fibrosis and their physiological compromise: A review

Endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) is an endemic idiopathic cardiomyopathy denoted by restricted and fibrous myocardium and endocardium. Apical fibrosis may cause thickening of the myocardium and extend from the ventricular apices through to the valves, thereby, restricting inflow. EMF is a critical condition that is predominant in the young population. However, it may also be associated with older individuals. Identified areas recorded with cases include the under-developed populations i.e. the tropics of Africa- Uganda, Mozambique; South Asia, and South America. Unlike in the preceded years, further studies are currently on focus to completely evaluate this medical condition. Additionally, this review encompasses the complications that arise from EMF as studied and reported from case studies, clinical trials, experiments and research including heart failure, atrioventricular valves regurgitations, arrhythmias, serous cavities'effusions, circulatory shock, stroke, myocardial ischemic syndromes, hepatic and end-organ dysfunctions. Complications like heart failure may be very fatal to its victims. Moreover, left ventricular thrombosis may probably impose systemic or cerebral thromboembolism, which would risk the probability of a stroke. All in all, suggestions in the management strategies that have proved effective and advances in cardiac transplantation and of recently proposed therapeutic targets equally take part of this review and may form a foundation to diminishing the remaining inch of EMF and its outcomes.

Endomyocardial fibrosis and calcification in an elderly patient

Endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) is a rare restrictive cardiomyopathy in developed countries. The prognosis of EMF depends on severity of heart failure, and it is generally poor as there is no proven specific effective therapy. We have experienced a rare case of EMF in an elderly Japanese man.