Rheumatic Fever! Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic Fever! Rheumatic Heart Disease By Kaya Michaelis
Causes:
Rheumatic heart disease is damage of the heart’s valves caused by rheumatic fever, which is caused by streptococcal bacteria. A streptococcal infection is caused by strep throat or scarlet fever.The streptococcal infection may result in scarring of the valves, weakness of the heart muscle, or damage to the hearts pericardium. Rheumatic fever mostly affects children from the ages of 5 -15, and occurs approximately 14-28 days after strep throat or scarlet fever. Rheumatic fever is common in eastern countries rather than western countries.
Signs, Symptoms, & Treatments:
Some signs and symptoms are red, raised, lattice-like rash, usually on the chest, back, and abdomen. Uncontrolled movements of arms, legs, or facial muscles, swollen, tender, red and extremely painful joints. Weakness and shortness of breath, stomach pains, weight loss, fatigue, and fever. Symptoms of rheumatic fever are more severe for females than males and both genders it can lead to heart failure, strokes, or death.
If one believes that they have rheumatic fever, a doctor will perform a physical examination, looking for signs that will indicate whether or not they do. The doctor will check for inflammation of the patient's joints, and listen out for any abnormal heart murmurs or rhythms that could signal that the person's heart has been strained. Sometimes the doctor can preform a chest X-ray in order to see the size of the person's heart and whether there is any excess fluid in the heart or lungs. If a the patient would rather not have an X-Ray, an echocardiogram exam could be arranged to measure the person's heart size and shape.
There is no cure for rheumatic fever but there are a few treatments and ways to prevent getting rheumatic fever.When an individual is diagnosed with rheumatic fever, penicillin injections every week or every four weeks, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and the use of anticonvulsants is well
Causes:
Rheumatic heart disease is damage of the heart’s valves caused by rheumatic fever, which is caused by streptococcal bacteria. A streptococcal infection is caused by strep throat or scarlet fever.The streptococcal infection may result in scarring of the valves, weakness of the heart muscle, or damage to the hearts pericardium. Rheumatic fever mostly affects children from the ages of 5 -15, and occurs approximately 14-28 days after strep throat or scarlet fever. Rheumatic fever is common in eastern countries rather than western countries.
Signs, Symptoms, & Treatments:
Some signs and symptoms are red, raised, lattice-like rash, usually on the chest, back, and abdomen. Uncontrolled movements of arms, legs, or facial muscles, swollen, tender, red and extremely painful joints. Weakness and shortness of breath, stomach pains, weight loss, fatigue, and fever. Symptoms of rheumatic fever are more severe for females than males and both genders it can lead to heart failure, strokes, or death.
If one believes that they have rheumatic fever, a doctor will perform a physical examination, looking for signs that will indicate whether or not they do. The doctor will check for inflammation of the patient's joints, and listen out for any abnormal heart murmurs or rhythms that could signal that the person's heart has been strained. Sometimes the doctor can preform a chest X-ray in order to see the size of the person's heart and whether there is any excess fluid in the heart or lungs. If a the patient would rather not have an X-Ray, an echocardiogram exam could be arranged to measure the person's heart size and shape.
There is no cure for rheumatic fever but there are a few treatments and ways to prevent getting rheumatic fever.When an individual is diagnosed with rheumatic fever, penicillin injections every week or every four weeks, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and the use of anticonvulsants is well