Groundbreaking research offers new hope for South African heart failure patients

South Africans suffering from heart failure could soon benefit from earlier diagnosis, tailored treatments and improved access to life-saving care following groundbreaking research by a Johannesburg clinician scientist.

Dr Nene Mboweni-Kondlo used her research to examine genetic, clinical and biological factors that may increase the progression of the condition, how it responds to treatment and patient outcomes.

Mboweni-Kondlo holds a PhD in cardiovascular physiology from Wits University, which focused on the clinical and biochemical effects of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) among the sub-Saharan African population.

HFrEF occurs when the main pumping chamber of the heart (the left ventricle) weakens and cannot push blood around the body efficiently. Symptoms include breathlessness, fatigue, swelling in the legs and difficulty with daily activities. AF is a common abnormal heart rhythm where the upper chambers quiver irregularly rather than beat in an organised rhythm.