What is rheumatic heart disease? What are the signs or symptoms?
Rheumatic heart disease describes the damage to heart valves as a consequence of having “rheumatic fever.” Rheumatic fever is seen rarely in the United States today. It was common a generation or two ago, particularly among children. It is still seen with some frequency in some Third World countries. The damage to the heart valves usually does not show up until many years after the bout of rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever results from the body’s attempt to fight infection with streptococcus bacteria, usually “strep throat.” The body’s response leads to inflammation that affects the heart, joints, and other parts of the body. The damage to the heart’s valves can worsen over years, so that the valves become narrowed (stenotic) or leaky (regurgitant) or both. Narrowed or leaking heart valves due to rheumatic fever or other forms of heart disease, can cause people to become short of breath or to faint. By making the heart work harder, damaged heart valves can make the heart thicken or enla
