Medication
“A rheumatologist is an internist or pediatrician who received further training in the diagnosis (detection) and treatment of musculoskeletal disease and systemic autoimmune conditions commonly referred to as rheumatic diseases. These diseases can affect the joints, muscles, and bones causing pain, swelling, stiffness, and deformity.”
Procedures
Symptoms of heart valve damage that is associated with rheumatic heart disease may include:
- chest pain or discomfort
- shortness of breath
- swelling of the stomach, hands or feet
- fatigue
- rapid or irregular heart beat
Nutrition
- Specific exercise regimes to increase muscle strength and joint flexibility
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Hot and cold therapy
- Splints, braces, and assistive devices to support weak joints
- Relaxation therapy
- Surgery (particular for arthritis)
What do doctors treat rheumatic diseases?
Rheumatic heart disease is a direct result of rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease caused by infection with group A streptococcus bacteria, which are responsible for illnesses such as strep throat and scarlet fever. Rheumatic fever affects connective tissue throughout the body, particularly in the heart, joints, skin, and brain.
How does rheumatic heart disease effects the body?
What does the treatment plan for rheumatic diseases include?
What is a rheumatic disease and what causes it?
What is the best treatment for rheumatic heart disease?
Can penicillin help with rheumatic fever?
What is the best medicine for rheumatic heart disease?
Treatment depends in large part on how much damage has been done to the heart valves. In severe cases, treatment may include surgery to replace or repair a badly damaged valve. The best treatment is to prevent rheumatic fever. Antibiotics can usually treat strep infections and keep rheumatic fever from developing.
Is rheumatic heart disease serious?
Rheumatic heart disease is heart valve damage due to rheumatic fever. The fever is your body's inflammatory response to a bacterial infection. Children in poor countries without access to antibiotics are at the highest risk. The condition can lead to serious health problems, including heart failure.
How long can you live with rheumatic heart disease?
Those who had mild RHD at diagnosis had the most favorable prognosis, with over 60% remaining mild after 10 years, and 10% being inactive by the end of the 14‐year study period.
What are the symptoms of rheumatic heart disease?
Symptoms of rheumatic fever, which can lead to rheumatic heart disease, include: Swelling, redness and pain in the joints. An inflammation of the heart muscle and tissue, causing a rapid heart rate, fatigue, shortness of breath and exercise intolerance. Fever.
Is rheumatic heart disease can be cured?
There is no cure for rheumatic heart disease and the damage to the heart valves are permanent. Patients with severe rheumatic heart disease will often require surgery to replace or repair the damages valve or valves.
What happens if rheumatic heart disease is left untreated?
If left untreated, rheumatic heart disease can lead to heart valve damage, stroke, heart failure, and death.
Can you exercise with rheumatic heart disease?
Fitness exercises improve a child's endurance and cardiovascular health, while keeping muscles strong and joints more flexible. Types of fitness exercises appropriate for most children with rheumatic diseases include walking, water exercise, and bicycling.
What is the most common and serious problem that develops in a person with rheumatic heart disease?
The most common form of rheumatic heart disease affects the heart valves. It may take several years after an episode of rheumatic fever for valve damage to develop or symptoms to appear.
What does rheumatic mean?
Rheumatic diseases are autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that cause your immune system to attack your joints, muscles, bones and organs. Rheumatic diseases are often grouped under the term “arthritis” — which is used to describe over 100 diseases and conditions.
Who is affected by rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic heart disease disproportionately affects girls and women, whose risk of developing rheumatic heart disease is two times higher than in men and boys. Rheumatic heart disease is the leading cause of maternal cardiac complications in pregnancy.
How is rheumatic heart disease prevented?
Ideally, ARF and RHD can be prevented. Antibiotic therapy (such as penicillin) to treat GroupA Streptococcus throat infection can dramatically reduce the risk of ARF and its complication, rheumatic heart disease. If ARF or RHD do occur, long-term antibiotics can reduce progression to more severe disease.
How does rheumatic disease affect the body?
Rheumatic diseases affect your joints tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles. Among them are many types of arthritis, a term used for conditions that affect your joints. Sometimes they're called musculoskeletal diseases.
How can rheumatoid heart disease be prevented?
Rheumatic heart disease can be prevented by preventing strep infections or treating them with antibiotics when they do occur. It’s important to take antibiotics as prescribed and to complete them as instructed, even if you feel better after a few days.
What is the best treatment for rheumatic fever?
People who have had rheumatic fever are often given daily or monthly antibiotic treatments, possibly for life, to prevent recurrent infections and lower the risk of further heart damage. To reduce inflammation, aspirin, steroids, or non-steroidal medicines may be given.
What causes a heart valve to leak?
Heart failure. This can occur from either a severely narrowed or leaking heart valve. Bacterial endocarditis. This is an infection of the inner lining of the heart, and may occur when rheumatic fever has damaged the heart valves. Complications of pregnancy and delivery due to heart damage.
How to treat a heart valve?
Treatment depends in large part on how much damage has been done to the heart valves. In severe cases, treatment may include surgery to replace or repair a badly damaged valve. The best treatment is to prevent rheumatic fever. Antibiotics can usually treat strep infections and keep rheumatic fever from developing.
Why does my heart murmur?
The murmur is caused by the blood leaking around the damages valve. The rub is caused when the inflamed heart tissues move or rub against each other. Along with a complete medical history and physical exam, tests used to diagnose rheumatic heart disease may include: Echocardiogram (echo).
What are the symptoms of rheumatic fever?
These are the most common symptoms of rheumatic fever: Swollen, tender, red and extremely painful joints — particularly the knees and ankles. Red, raised, lattice-like rash, usually on the chest, back, and abdomen. Symptoms of rheumatic heart disease depend on the degree of valve damage and may include:
How old do you have to be to get rheumatic fever?
This may take years to develop and can result in heart failure. Rheumatic fever can occur at any age, but usually occurs in children ages 5 to 15 years old. It’s rare in developed countries like the United States.
Overview
Rheumatic heart disease is heart valve damage resulting from rheumatic fever. Bacterial infections called group A streptococcal (GAS) infections can cause rheumatic fever. An infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever, triggers your body’s immune response. It causes inflammation throughout the body, including in the heart.
Symptoms and Causes
Symptoms of rheumatic heart disease may not appear until years after a strep infection or rheumatic fever. People with heart damage may experience:
Management and Treatment
There’s no cure for rheumatic heart disease. Treatment can help you manage symptoms and may delay disease progress. Treatments include:
Prevention
You can prevent rheumatic heart disease by taking antibiotics at the first signs of a streptococcal infection. See your healthcare provider if you or your child has:
Living With
Contact your healthcare provider if you experience new or worsened symptoms, including:
What is the name of the disease that causes the heart valves to be inflamed?
In some people, repeated strep infections cause the immune system to react against the tissues of the body including inflaming and scarring the heart valves. This is what is referred to as rheumatic fever. Rheumatic heart disease results then from the inflammation and scarring of heart valves caused by rheumatic fever.
Where does rheumatic fever affect?
Rheumatic fever mostly affects children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries, especially where poverty is widespread and access to health services is limited. People who live in overcrowded and poor conditions are at greatest risk of developing the disease. Where rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease are endemic, ...
What are the symptoms of rheumatic fever?
Rheumatic fever symptoms can include: painless nodules under the skin near joints and/or a rash consisting of pink rings with a clear centre (both rare) Symptoms of heart valve damage that is associated with rheumatic heart disease may include:
How to tell if a heart valve is damaged?
Symptoms of heart valve damage that is associated with rheumatic heart disease may include: 1 chest pain or discomfort 2 shortness of breath 3 swelling of the stomach, hands or feet 4 fatigue 5 rapid or irregular heart beat
Is there a cure for rheumatic heart disease?
rapid or irregular heart beat. How is rheumatic heart disease treated? There is no cure for rheumatic heart disease and the damage to the heart valves are permanent. Patients with severe rheumatic heart disease will often require surgery to replace or repair the damages valve or valves.
Can rheumatic heart disease be prevented?
Rheumatic heart disease can be prevented by preventing streptococcal infections, or treating them with antibiotics when they do occur.
Can rheumatic fever be left untreated?
If left untreated, rheumatic fever may then ensue. Currently a large proportion of those suffering rheumatic heart disease are not diagnosed, or are diagnosed at a late stage when damage to the heart is very severe. Rheumatic heart disease remains the leading cause of maternal cardiac complications in pregnancy.
What is rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic Heart Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments. Rheumatic heart disease is a major problem in developing countries and is the cause of most of the cardiovascular mortality in young people, leading to about 250,000 deaths per year worldwide. This disease results from an abnormal autoimmune response to group A streptococci infection in ...
How many people die from rheumatic heart disease in a year?
Rheumatic heart disease is a major problem in developing countries and is the cause of most of the cardiovascular mortality in young people, leading to about 250,000 deaths per year worldwide. This disease results from an abnormal autoimmune response to group A streptococci infection in a genetically susceptible host.
What is the antibiotic used for rheumatic fever?
The antibiotic Penicillin is generally used for the treatment and prevention of this disease.
Is antibiotic prophylaxis effective for rheumatic fever?
The treatment guidelines have emphasized antibiotic prophylaxis against recurrent episodes of acute rheumatic fever which is feasible and cost effective . The early diagnosis and treatment is possible if people at risk for rheumatic heart disease in endemic areas are screened.
What are the symptoms of rheumatic fever?
Rheumatic heart disease can develop a decade or more after a strep throat or scarlet fever infection. Symptoms will vary depending on the degree of heart valve damage and may include:
Tests
Diagnosing rheumatic heart disease is the first step to developing a treatment plan. Our specialists may recommend one or more diagnostic and imaging procedures.
Treatments
Treatment for rheumatic heart disease will depend on the extent of damage done to the heart valves. Mild damage may not need treatment, while more severe damage may require surgery to replace or repair the valve.
Ask MHVI
Have questions for our heart and vascular program? Email us at [email protected].
What is rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic heart disease refers to the permanent damage of the heart valves after a single or multiple bouts of rheumatic fever. This condition can affect the mitral valve (65-70% of patients), aortic valve (about 25% of patients), or both. Damage to these heart valves may cause:
Why is it important to have a diagnostic test for rheumatic heart disease?
Diagnostic techniques are important when answering the question of what is rheumatic heart disease as it applies to a particular patient. Medical experts usually review the history of their patients to rule out other cardiac issues. Blood work may be necessary to diagnose the condition properly.
What is rheumatic fever?
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria (responsible for causing strep throat infections), and it precedes the development of rheumatic heart disease. RF can affect numerous body tissues including the heart, joints, skin and brain tissue. Nevertheless, strep throat infections do not necessarily lead ...
What is the leading risk factor for rheumatic heart disease?
What is Rheumatic Heart Disease Risk Factors. The leading risk factor is age, with most RHD patients aged 5 to 15 years. Also, children born in families with a history of rheumatic heart disease are more likely to develop the same condition compared to children from families without a similar medical history.
How long does it take for rheumatic fever to show up?
Moreover, an article published by the Seattle Children’s states that rheumatic heart disease symptoms show up to 20 years after the initial rheumatic fever bout.
Why are RHD patients unable to access healthcare?
Many RHD patients in developing countries are unable to access proper healthcare due to financial constraints. Data from the World Heart Federation shows that up to 1% of children in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the East Mediterranean region have rheumatic heart disease.
What are the two major and minor criteria for rheumatic fever?
The major diagnostic criteria include the presence of subcutaneous nodules, carditis, erythema marginatum, chorea, and polyarthritis.
What is the best treatment for RHD?
Heart failure and AF in patients with RHD. In patients who present with heart failure, the use of diuretics, ACE inhibitors, digoxin and beta blockers are used to stabilize patients prior to definitive corrective surgery or as definitive therapy when surgery is not available, or patients are deemed surgically inoperable.
What is RHD in medical terms?
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the only preventable cardiovascular disease which causes significant morbidity and mortality particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Early clinical diagnosis is key, the updated Jones criteria increases the likelihood of diagnosis in endemic settings, including the echo diagnosis of sub-clinical carditis, ...
What are the long term consequences of RHD?
Long-term consequences of RHD may include stroke, heart failure, and premature mortality (1).
What is the cause of RHD?
RHD is caused by a preventable infection of the bacterium Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) which may lead to an autoimmune response in the body, namely acute rheumatic fever (ARF). If Strep A and ARF go untreated, repeated infections are more likely to occur.
Is valvulitis a gold standard for diagnosis?
Echocardiography is the gold standard for the diagnosis of card itis. The major manifestation of carditis is valvulitis which manifests most commonly as mitral and aortic incompetence. From a practical point of view, a diagnosis of carditis should be avoided if no evidence of valvular dysfunction is found (9).
Does ARF cause chorea?
The chorea observed with ARF occurs more frequently in women and occurs later in the course of ARF. Consequently, evidence of a prior Strep A infection is not found and exclusion of other causes of chorea together with echocardiographic evidence of carditis is often required to confirm the diagnosis.
What happens if you leave rheumatic heart disease untreated?
If left untreated, rheumatic heart disease can lead to heart valve damage, stroke, heart failure, and death. Treatment of advanced disease requires costly surgery unavailable in many parts of the world. In endemic countries, prevalence of this preventable disease is a stark measure of health system failure and inequality.
How many people are affected by rheumatic heart disease?
Treatment. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a preventable, treatable form of cardiovascular disease that affects over 32 million people around the world and claims 275,000 lives annually. It affects the world’s poorest, most vulnerable populations and imposes heavy costs on the health systems that can least afford it.
What is RHD in heart?
What is RHD? Rheumatic heart disease occurs when attacks of ARF cause permanent scarring and damage to the valves of the heart. Normally, heart valves help move blood through the chambers of the heart with each beat. When valves have been damaged by RHD they cannot open and close normally, causing blood to move in the wrong direction.
What age is RHD most common?
RHD is the most commonly acquired heart disease in young people under the age of 25.
How often should I give antibiotics for RHD?
Penicillin is the most commonly used antibiotic and is often given as an injection every 3 – 4 weeks.
What happens when a valve is damaged by RHD?
When valves have been damaged by RHD they cannot open and close normally, causing blood to move in the wrong direction. When this happens the heart cannot pump blood effectively, causing heart failure.
What is the biggest risk factor for developing RHD?
The biggest risk factor for developing RHD is having repeated episodes of ARF. This risk can be reduced by regular antibiotic medication. RHD usually begins in adolescence but can be diagnosed into adulthood. 80% of people living with RHD live in developing countries.
What is the best treatment for rheumatic heart disease?
Since rheumatic fever is the cause of rheumatic heart disease, the best treatment is to prevent rheumatic fever from occurring. Penicillin and other antibiotics can usually treat strep ...
Can penicillin help with rheumatic fever?
Penicillin and other antibiotics can usually treat strep throat (a streptococcus A bacterial infection) and stop acute rheumatic fever from developing. Persons who have previously contracted rheumatic fever are often given continuous (daily or monthly) antibiotic treatments, possibly for life, to prevent future attacks of rheumatic fever ...
