Epidemiology of congestive heart failure.

The incidence of congestive heart failure (CHF) is influenced by a variety of factors, including availability of medical care, socioeconomic status, geography, nutrition and race. The etiology of CHF in China, England, Botswana and Sweden will be examined and compared with prospective findings from Boston and Detroit. Because the therapy used in the treatment of CHF varies with the underlying causes, which may be as diverse as rheumatic fever, systemic hypertension and viral infection, the importance of fully determining its pathogenesis is emphasized.