AboutDavid Richardson Expertise Adult heart function and disease. Not very good about children lesss than 12. Hypertension is o.k. Heart rhythm a special interest.
Experience Certified in cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Was chairman of division of cardiology at the Medical College of Virginia. Am now mostly retired.
Organizations Fellow of American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology and member of American Physiological Society..
Publications Circulation, American Heart Journal, Hypertension.
Education/Credentials M.D. from Harvard Medical School. Residency training at Yale Uhniversity School of Medicine and Medical College of Virginia.
Awards and Honors Gold Heartt Award from American Heart Association in 1995.
Question In your general opinion can untreated malaria cause heart disease? DIC, Myocarditis, tachycardia, hypotension and severe anemia. If a severe case of untreated malaria goes untreated for several years can this be a cause of the above mention conditions and leading into severe heart disease and CHF?
Answer Dear Sue,
Anemia yes, from the parasites exploding red blood cells. Tachycardia would accompany fever in malaria. Hypotension is unlikely. DIC, myocarditis, no. Malaria does not cause heart disease. It may cause pulmonary edema, but not from heart failure. The pressure of blood in the pulmonary vessels is normal in malarial pulmonary edema. These answers are based on Cecil's Textbook of Medicine.
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