Who is at risk for rheumatic heart disease?
Untreated or under-treated strep infections
can increase the risk for rheumatic heart disease. Children who get repeated strep throat infections are at the most risk for rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.
Who is at high risk for rheumatic fever?
The incidence of acute rheumatic fever is highest in
children between the ages of 5 and 15 years
. Acute rheumatic fever is very rare in children 3 years of age and younger in the United States. First-onset acute rheumatic fever is rare in adults, although recurrence may occur through adulthood.
Who is most affected by rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic heart disease is the most commonly acquired heart disease in people under age 25, and mostly affects
children and adolescents
in low- and middle-income countries.
What are the major criteria for rheumatic heart disease?
Major criteria: carditis (clinical and/or subclinical), arthritis (polyarthritis), chorea, Erythema marginatum, and subcutaneous nodules. Minor criteria: olyarthralgia, fever (≥38.5° F), sedimentation rate ≥60 mm and/or C-reactive protein
(CRP) ≥3.0 mg/dl
, and prolonged PR interval (unless carditis is a major criterion …
Can you inherit rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic fever is
likely inherited in a multifactorial manner
, which means it is caused by multiple genes interacting with each other and with environmental factors .
How do you know if you have rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic Heart Disease Signs and Symptoms
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.
What organs of the body does rheumatic fever affect?
Rheumatic fever (acute rheumatic fever) is a disease that can affect
the heart, joints, brain, and skin
. Rheumatic fever can develop if strep throat and scarlet fever infections are not treated properly.
How long can you live with rheumatic heart disease?
The relative survival was 96.9%
(95% CI 96.1–97.5%) at one year and 81.2%
(95% CI 79.2–83.0%) at five years (S3 Fig). The risk of death among RHD/ARF patients increased with age over and above background rates; there was also increased risk for both male and iTaukei patients (S4 Table).
What happens if you have rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic heart disease is a condition
in which the heart valves have been permanently damaged by rheumatic fever
. The heart valve damage may start shortly after untreated or under-treated streptococcal infection such as strep throat or scarlet fever.
How long does rheumatic heart disease last?
Inflammation caused by rheumatic fever can last
a few weeks to several months
. In some cases, the inflammation causes long-term complications. Rheumatic fever can cause permanent damage to the heart (rheumatic heart disease).
What is the initial indication of valve disease?
Some physical signs of heart valve disease can include:
Chest pain or palpitations
(rapid rhythms or skips) Shortness of breath, difficulty catching your breath, fatigue, weakness, or inability to maintain regular activity level. Lightheadedness or fainting.
How do you rule out rheumatic fever?
Diagnosis and Tests
If your provider suspects rheumatic fever, they will first swab your throat to check for group A streptococcus bacteria. They may use a rapid strep test or order
a throat culture
. A rapid strep test can provide results within 10 minutes. A throat culture takes a few days to get results.
Why rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disease?
Rheumatic fever is classed as an autoimmune disease
because the inflammation is probably caused by the immune system’s reaction to the bacteria
. While rheumatic fever can develop at any age, children between five and 14 years are at increased risk.
Does rheumatic fever run in families?
Heredity seems to play a part because
the tendency to develop rheumatic fever appears to run in families
. In the United States, a child who has a streptococcal throat infection but is not treated has only a less than 1 to 3% chance of developing rheumatic fever.
Can you be born with rheumatic fever?
Rheumatic endocarditis has been reported in newly born infants whose mothers were suffering from active rheumatic fever at the time of birth. Such an event, if it occurs, must be
extremely rare
; as far as we are aware these cases have not been subjected to critical pathological studies.
Is rheumatic heart disease congenital?
Rheumatic heart disease is
more common than congenital heart disease
in many developing countries, reflecting the socioeconomic problems of poverty, overcrowding, malnutrition, and lack of antibiotics.
