A ten-year review of chronic cor pulmonale secondary to respiratory diseases in Ghana.

Chronic cor pulmonale is defined as right ventricular failure secondary to pulmonary hypertension. Our study reviewed all cases of chronic cor pulmonale secondary to respiratory diseases in a ten-year period (2004-20014) in the Department of Child Health, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Nine cases of chronic cor pulmonale were recorded during the period. The age range was 1-9 years (average age = 3 years). Obstructive sleep apnoea secondary to adenoid hypertrophy was the commonest cause of pulmonary hypertension.