What are the different treatment options for rheumatic heart disease?
What are the different treatment options for rheumatic heart disease?
Introduction
Certain conditions and factors contribute to increased risk of rheumatic heart disease, and there is a clear ack of awareness among high risk populations. Here is a good look at the factors that are considered as critical risk and the different treatment options available to manage the condition with better outcomes.
What is rheumatic heart disease in Tamil?
In Tamil, rheumatic heart disease is pronounced as rheumatic ithaya noi or vatha idhaya noi. Rheumatic heart disease refers to the condition where the valves of the heart are damaged due to rheumatic fever. This arises due to a complication of poorly treated or untreated strep throat. The damaged heart valves cause long terms heart health problems.
Rheumatic fever is caused by an immune response to strep throat fever, and in some cases scarlet fever. The immune system of the body ends up wrongly attacking own tissues, especially the heart valves, post infection. Rheumatic fever triggers inflammation resulting in scarring and deformation of the heart valves mainly the mitral and aortic valves.
By identifying symptoms of rheumatic fever, it is easier to seek timely treatment that will help avoid complications. Commonly reported symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Pain in the joints and possible swelling.
- Outbreak of rashes.
- Abnormal involuntary movements.
- Inflammation of the heart.
When the disease causes rheumatic heart disease, or progress to the condition certain other symptoms may be experienced. Timely detection can help in seeking early treatment, and commonly reported symptoms include:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Pain in the chest.
- Overall tiredness.
- Swelling in the feet.
- Irregular heartbeats.
When these symptoms follow the first set of symptoms, then it could indicate rheumatic heart disease and suitable treatment measures are to be commenced.
Diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease.
This is typically performed by reviewing the medical history, such as past strep throat infections and other reported symptoms of rheumatic fever. Diagnosis also includes a physical examination where the patient is checked for signs of heart murmur or valve dysfunction.
Diagnostics include echocardiogram to look for possible valve damage and heart function. Other tests such as blood tests look for inflammation and previous infection. Electrocardiogram, commonly known as ECG help to look for arrhythmias or heart rhythm problems.
What happens when there is rheumatic heart disease?
- Rheumatic heart disease can cause the following:
- Heart valve damage – narrowing or leakage of the affected valves.
- Heart failure – due to impaired heart valve function.
- Atrial fibrillation – irregular heartbeats because of valve damage.
- Endocarditis – infection of the heart lining.
What are the different treatment options for rheumatic heart disease?
Treatment options include the use of any of the following or a combination of the following, depending on the actual condition, and severity:
Antibiotics – to treat and prevent streptococcal infections.
Anti-inflammatory medicines – to reduce inflammation.
Medicines for heart issues – to manage symptoms and complications.
Valve replacement or repair – surgical procedures for severe valve damage
What does rheumatic heart disease murmur mean?
Rheumatic heart disease murmur refers to the abnormal heart sound typically detected in people with the condition, during a physical examination. This murmur is due to the damage to the heart valves after rheumatic fever.
For instance, heart valves are affected due to rheumatic fever, especially the mitral and aortic valves. Damage includes either narrowing or leakage of these valves, and these valve problems create some kind of turbulence. This is responsible for the abnormal heart sounds, known as murmurs.
There are different types of murmurs, such as mitral regurgitation murmur, mitral stenosis murmur, aortic regurgitation murmur, and aortic stenosis murmur. These murmurs are detected using a stethoscope and the characteristic timing, location, and quality of the murmur give information about the affected valve and nature of damage.
What are the critical rheumatic heart disease risk factors?
Critical risk factors for rheumatic heart disease may be the underlying causes and different contributing conditions. For instance, the following can be considered as risk factors:
- History of rheumatic fever – people who have had rheumatic fever are at higher risk as it can cause damage to the heart valves.
- Poorly treated or untreated strep throat – when strep throat infections or scarlet fever are not properly treated with antibiotics, this can cause rheumatic fever, possibly leading to rheumatic heart disease.
- Age – typically children and adolescents are at risk of developing rheumatic heart disease, especially after episodes of rheumatic fever.
- Socioeconomic reasons – such as poor access to health care may result in poor treatment of streptococcal infections. People living in overcrowded conditions may be exposed to spread of streptococcal infections.
- Other reasons – include environmental factors, family history, poor hygiene, immune system, and previous heart conditions.
What is known as the best rheumatic heart disease treatment adults?
The best treatment for rheumatic heart disease in adults may include a combination of medications, changes to lifestyle, and possible surgical procedures.
- Medicines – like penicillin or other antibiotics prevent recurrent streptococcal infections. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or corticosteroids help to reduce inflammation. Diuretics reduce fluid buildup and manage symptoms of heart failure, while beta-blockers manage heart rate and reduce blood pressure. ACE inhibitors or ARBs lower blood pressure levels while anticoagulants prevent blood clots.
- Lifestyle changes – like a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise improves overall cardiovascular health and manages weight. Quitting smoking prevents worsening of heart disease.
- Surgical procedures – like valve repair, valve replacement, mitral valve replacement, and aortic valve replacement offer advanced interventions in severe cases.
What is meant by rheumatic heart disease age group?
Rheumatic heart disease usually afflicts different age groups in different ways, as outlined below:
- Children and adolescents – develop the condition after rheumatic fever, which is common in this age group. High incidence is reported between 5 to 15 years.
- Young adults – may get the condition when it extends into their 20s and 30s.
- Adults – this is less common in adults, but can still occur if the patient has not received proper treatment.
- Older adults – this is less common in the elderly, but elderly people may experience complications from longstanding valve damage from past conditions.
Related Blogs :
Shetty B s a cardiologist in Chennai, with extensive experience in the field. He completed his MBBS from Madurai Kamaraj University, followed by an MD in General Medicine and a DM in Cardiology from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (TNMGRMU).