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rheumatic heart disease

Epidemiology: - affects mostly children 5-15 years of age, - may also occur in adults, especially in crowded conditions Pathology: - carditis - valvular heart disease - mitral valve most commonly involved - mitral valve stenosis - thickening & fusion of mitral valve leaflets [3] - mitral regurgitation Laboratory: - see rheumatic fever Special laboratory: - EKG (PR prolongation) - echocardiogram Management: - also see rheumatic fever - prednisone 40-60 mg QD a) useful for controlling pericarditis & CHF of acute rheumatic fever b) no effect on residual heart disease - prophylaxis (documented rheumatic fever with vavlular sequellae) - long-term prophylactic penicillin for at least 10 years after last episode or until at least age 40 (whichever is longer) [3] - benzathine penicillin G 1.2 million units IM every 4 weeks - erythromycin 100-250 mg PO BID - sulfadiazine 0.5-1 g PO QD - erythromycin 100-250 mg PO BID - prophylaxis for bacterial endocarditis prior to surgical procedures

General

rheumatic fever valvular heart disease carditis

References

  1. World Heart Fedaration: Rheumatic Heart Disease http://www.world-heart-federation.org/press/fact-sheets/rheumatic-heart-disease/
  2. Chin TK and Berger S eMedicine: Pediatric Rheumatic Heart Disease http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/891897-overview
  3. Otto CM et al 2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease. A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation 2021;143:e00 PMID: 33332150 https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000923