What is rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic heart disease is a condition that may occur when an individual experiences a recurrent episode of rheumatic fever. The condition usually involves the development of scar tissue in heart valves and changes in myocardial. Both of these changes in the heart can make it more difficult for organs to effectively draw blood, which in turn puts further stress on the heart.
To understand how rheumatic heart disease comes, it is important to know what happens when an individual experiences an episode of the rheumatic fever. The fever itself is an inflammatory disease that manifests itself as a strepe in the throat. Infections in the throat can work through connective tissue in the body and eventually get to the joints, skin and even to the heart and brain. The best known treatment of rheumatic fever is the use of antibiotics to kill infection.
repeated episodes of rheumatic fever can cause damage to the organs that are achieved through connective tissue. In the case of heart, infection can cause heart valve reinforcement, which is a condition that causes enlarged valves fUng they are less efficient. One of the more common symptoms of rheumatic heart disease is shortness of breath, even after the fever was successfully under control.
In terms of different types of symptoms, shortness of breath is often the only manifestation that the heart has been damaged in any way. However, some people also find that they feel from time to time, especially after they have tired. D shortness of breath may be more or less constant, or it seems that they will disappear for a period of time, then return when the individual attempts to be more physically active.
As regards the treatment of rheumatic heart diseases, the most effective approach is to retain the rheumatic FeVCO first. This minimizes the chances of infections that ever affect the heart. Administration of antibiotics in the first signs of fever often prevents the spread of infection through connective tissue and protects joints from damage as well as heart and brain.
But if the rheumatic heart disease has progressedTo the extent that the ability of organ to draw blood is seriously disturbed, surgery is often the best choice. Depending on the severity of the condition, enlarged valves can sometimes be repaired. The worst cases will sometimes require damaged valves to be completely replaced.