The heart is one of the strongest muscles in the system. It is responsible for distributing oxygenated blood to every part of the body. Rheumatic fever is a condition that can lead to rheumatic heart disease. With this condition, the valves in the heart get damaged permanently.
Significance
According to the American Heart Association, rheumatic heart disease incidence is low in the United States, but it continues to be a leading cause of cardiovascular death in the developing world, especially during the first five decades of life.
Effects
In addition to the heart, other parts of the body can also be affected by rheumatic fever, including the skin, brain and joints. Kids who are 5 to 15 years old are the most susceptible, and once rheumatic fever progresses to rheumatic heart disease, it remains in the body for a lifetime.
Symptoms
Strep throat is one of the first signs of rheumatic fever. This can be accompanied with headache, painful swallowing, red throat, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Symptoms of actual rheumatic fever include skin rashes, fatigue, fever, pain in the joints, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. These symptoms generally appear 3 weeks apart from strep throat symptoms.
Prevention/Treatment
Preventing rheumatic heart disease starts with preventing rheumatic fever. When strep throat develops or any of the signs and symptoms appear, see your doctor. Antibiotics, such as penicillin, will be prescribed to stop the development of rheumatic fever. If there has already been damage to the valves in the heart, surgery might have to be performed to repair them.
Considerations
People who have had rheumatic fever once in their lives are susceptible to getting rheumatic heart disease. It is not uncommon for them to be on antibiotics for their whole lives to prevent it from taking place.
