Before antibiotic medicines became widely used, rheumatic fever was the largest cause of valve disease. Rheumatic fever is a condition that is a complication of untreated strep throat. Strep throat is caused by a group A streptococcal infection found in the throat.
Rheumatic fever can damage body tissues by causing them to swell, but its greatest danger lies in the damage it can do to your heart. More than h
alf of the time, rheumatic fever leads to scarring of the heart’s valves. This scarring can narrow the valve and make it harder for the valve to open properly or to close completely. In turn, your heart has to work harder to pump blood to the rest of your body. This valve damage can lead to a condition called rheumatic heart disease, which, in time, can lead to congestive heart failure. Rheumatic fever is not an infection itself, rather the result of an untreated strep infection. When the body senses the strep infection, it sends antibodies to fight it. Sometimes, these antibodies attack the tissues of joints or the heart instead. If the antibodies attack the heart they can cause the heart valves to swell, which can lead to scarring of the valve “doors.” (The doors are called leaflets.) The scarred leaflets make it harder for the valve to either open or close properly, or both.
The symptoms of rheumatic fever usually begin 1 to 6 weeks after a strep infection. The symptoms are fever, joint pain or swelling in your wrists, elbows, knees, or ankles. Small bumps under the skin over elbows or knees (called nodules). Maybe a small raised red rash on the chest, back, or stomach, experience stomach pain or feeling less hungry. Weakness, shortness of breath, or feeling very tired
Please remember that Rheumatic Fever needs immediate medical attention!
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More topics: Rheumatic Fever, Untreated Strep Throat, Strep Infection, Congestive Heart Failure, Group A Streptococcal Infection, Valve Damage, Valve Disease, Heart Valves, Strep Throat, Fever, Body Tissues, Rheumatic fever, Antibacterial, Bacteria, Fever, Pharyngitis, United States, Abdominal pain, Accor, Adobe Acrobat, Air pollution,
Image credits:
Pathophysiology map of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Source says: “Gross pathology of rheumatic heart disease. Left ventricle has been cut open to display characteristic severe thickening of mitral valve, thickened chordae tendineae, and hypertrophied left ventricular myocardium. Autopsy.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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