title: Chagas Cardiomyopathy: Clinical Presentation and Management in the Americas.
abstract: The initial infection of Chagas disease is typically asymptomatic, but approximately 30% of people will progress to a chronic cardiac form, and others develop the gastrointestinal form. Death is often sudden due to arrhythmias or progressive heart failure. Prevention through vector control programs and blood bank screening, along with strengthened surveillance systems and rapid information sharing, are key to decreasing disease burden globally. The epidemiology, diagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic Chagas cardiac disease are discussed with focus on educating the primary care professionals and general cardiologists in nonendemic areas who have limited experience treating this disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, 1959 Northeast Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine Pastorius
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Benziger
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas and School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190 - sala 246, Belo Horizonte Cep:30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel Assis Lopes
authors.initials: GAL
authors.lastname: do Carmo
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital das Clínicas and School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Rua Campanha, 98/101, Carmo, Belo Horizonte, Cep:30310-770, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: alpr1963br@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Antonio Luiz Pinho
authors.initials: ALP
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas / Q000453:epidemiology; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D019468:Disease Management; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends
keywords: Cardiomyopathy; Chagas disease; Epidemiology; Neglected diseases; Trypanocidal agents