Investigating the Causes of Heart Failure in Northern Afghanistan

Heart failure is a cardiac disorder in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to other organs. These conditions can be caused by a variety of causes, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, inherited diseases, and other factors. Therefore, early identification of the symptoms of heart failure and its proper treatment is very important in order to prevent its subsequent complications and progression. The aim of this study was to investigate heart failure in patients in northern Afghanistan. The statistical population of this study consisted of all patients referred to public hospitals in the provinces (Balkh, Kunduz, Takhar, Samangan, and Badakhshan). The statistical sample of the present study consists of (460) patients referred to public hospitals in the northern provinces of Afghanistan. Data were obtained using patients' files and distributing questionnaires to patients. The collected data were entered into SPSS 28 software and then analyzed. The findings showed that out of 460 patients, 130 were referred to Balkh State Hospital, 88 to Kunduz Provincial Hospital, 81 to Takhar Provincial Hospital, 68 to Samangan Provincial Hospital, and 93 to Badakhshan Provincial Hospital. The results showed that among the symptoms of heart failure in patients, the most symptoms were shortness of breath (21%), peripheral edema (16.8%), fatigue and weakness (16.5%), dizziness (14.8%), weight gain (12.2%), heart palpitations (10.2%), and abdominal swelling (8.3%).