What is rheumatic valvular heart disease?

There are many types of joint diseases, and the conditions are quite complicated. Even after years of experience, doctors cannot figure them out. Rheumatic valvular heart disease is a common disease. Because rheumatic disease already makes people feel very serious, valvular heart disease at this time will be more serious. Therefore, in the treatment of the disease, it is necessary to find a suitable treatment plan based on the individual's physical condition and the clinical manifestations of the disease. Usually, timely diagnosis should be made in the clinic. Heart examination can be used to judge the heart rate, whether there are murmurs around the heart, whether there are other symptoms of the heart, including the current state of heart vitality.

1. Causes

Patients with rheumatic valvular heart disease generally have a history of rheumatic fever, such as rheumatic pharyngitis, rheumatic arthritis, rheumatic myocarditis, etc. The causative microorganism is type A hemolytic streptococcus. The disease is more likely to occur in areas with backward economy, low living standards and poor sanitary conditions.

2. Clinical manifestations

The clinical manifestations of the disease vary depending on the type of disease. The most common symptoms are palpitations, shortness of breath, chest tightness, repeated coughing and dizziness after activities. In severe cases, there are hemoptysis, syncope, precordial pain, floating sperm, ascites, etc. Late-stage patients may die suddenly due to left or right heart failure or cardiac arrest.

3. Diagnosis

The patient had a history of rheumatic fever. During physical examination, heart murmurs may be heard in the precordial area. Laboratory tests such as antistreptolysin "O" (anti-O), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are helpful in diagnosis. Electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, cardiac echocardiogram and color Doppler examination can confirm the diagnosis.

IV. Treatment

Rheumatic valvular disease is often asymptomatic in the early stages, and some patients are only discovered to be ill during physical examinations. If the patient has symptoms, he or she should go to a specialist hospital immediately. Those with mild symptoms can take oral medications such as cardiotonic, diuretic, potassium supplement, and vasodilator to treat the symptoms. Those who do not respond to drug treatment need to undergo surgical treatment, which includes valvuloplasty and valve replacement. Those with mild valvular pathological changes can undergo valvuloplasty, while those with severe pathological changes require valve replacement. Those who undergo valve replacement require lifelong anticoagulant treatment. During the anticoagulation period, they should go to the hospital regularly to check the prothrombin activity in order to adjust the dosage of anticoagulants. In the early days, there was closed mitral stenosis dilatation, but it is rarely used now. A small number of patients with mitral stenosis can undergo balloon valvuloplasty. If the patient is in the acute stage of rheumatic fever, anti-rheumatic treatment is required, such as intramuscular injection of oxacillin, intramuscular or intravenous injection of penicillin, and oral erythromycin for those allergic to penicillin.

5. Prevention

Rheumatic fever is mostly caused by infection with type A hemolytic streptococcus when the body's resistance is low. Therefore, it is very helpful to prevent the disease by taking regular exercise, improving physical fitness, leading a regular life, not smoking, and paying attention to dressing well and covering yourself with quilts to keep warm when the weather is cool. Regular physical examinations at the hospital are also conducive to early detection, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Once rheumatic fever is diagnosed, you should immediately go to a specialized hospital for treatment with benzylpenicillin, penicillin, erythromycin, etc.

In summary, valvular disease is a complex disease that inherits rheumatism and heart disease, so the difficulty of treatment can be imagined. Generally, we mainly use the above 5 methods to gradually treat and restore health, but rheumatic valvular disease has certain risks and unknowns.