What is Rheumatic Heart Disease Valve Damage?

How Rheumatic Fever Leads to Heart Valve Damage

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a serious condition where the heart valves suffer permanent damage, often as a result of one or more instances of rheumatic fever. This inflammatory illness typically arises after someone has had untreated or poorly treated streptococcal infections, like strep throat or scarlet fever.

The repercussions of rheumatic heart disease valve damage can last a lifetime, particularly affecting young individuals and those living in areas with limited access to healthcare.

Overview of How Rheumatic Heart Disease Causes Valve Damage

Rheumatic fever is responsible for starting abnormal immune reactions within the body that lead to widespread inflammation. An affected person’s heart, specifically the valves, is a prime target of this inflammation, which in turn causes scarring and swelling of the valve tissues.

With time, rheumatic fever can cause:

• Valve Stenosis: In this condition, the valve constricts and may not operate to its full potential, which often restricts blood flow.
• Valve Regurgitation: This phenomenon prevents the valve from closing properly, resulting in a blood leak backwards.
   

Doctors have observed that the mitral and aortic valves are most commonly affected in rheumatic heart disease. These parts play an important role in ensuring blood flow in the right direction throughout your heart as well as the rest of the body.

Why is Valve Damage an Alarming Issue?

When heart valves are damaged, they throw a wrench in the normal flow of blood, forcing your heart to work harder.
 

This can result in:
 

• Heart failure
• Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)
• A higher chance of stroke or blood clots
   

In serious situations, particularly during pregnancy, the extra burden on the heart can pose life-threatening risks for both the mother and the baby.

Symptoms of Rheumatic Heart Disease: Valve Damage

Signs may vary based on the seriousness of heart valve damage and can sometimes appear years after the initial rheumatic fever episode. A few common warning signs are:

• Shortness of breath, particularly while performing an activity or lying down
• Chest discomfort or pain
• Weakness and fatigue
• Irregular or rapid heartbeat
• Swelling in different regions, like the abdomen, hands or feet
   

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis involves looking at symptoms, going over medical history (especially any previous strep infections), and conducting heart exams like echocardiograms. Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure for valve damage caused by rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Treatment options typically focus on:

• Managing symptoms with medications to restrict the possibilities of heart failure or rhythm issues
• Preventing more streptococcal infections with long-term antibiotics
• Performing surgery to repair or replace severely damaged valves in more severe cases
   

Prevention of Rheumatic Heart Disease

The immediate step in preventing RHD is to effectively treat strep throat by using doctor-recommended antibiotics. For individuals who previously suffered episodes of rheumatic fever, preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis is often suggested to stop recurrence and further valve damage.

Who is at Risk of Rheumatic Heart Disease?

Children between the ages of 5 and 15 are the ones who are most often infected, especially in low- and middle-income areas or communities where access to medical treatment is limited. Those who have frequent or untreated strep throat infections are at the highest risk.

Early treatment of strep throat and ongoing prevention are the key to preventing the risk of RHD and avoiding its complications.