What is rheumatic heart disease? Symptoms and signs should be taken seriously

Rheumatic heart disease is most common among the elderly. They will experience palpitations after activities. In severe cases, it will also lead to breathing difficulties and inability to lie flat at night. Many patients also have purple-red lips. If the situation is severe, surgery can be performed.

1. What is rheumatic heart disease

Rheumatic heart disease (rheumatic heart disease), referred to as RHD, refers to heart disease caused by rheumatic fever activity involving heart valves. It manifests as stenosis and/or insufficiency of one or more valves in the mitral valve, tricuspid valve, and aortic valve. The disease often occurs in winter and spring, in cold, humid and crowded environments. The first onset age is mostly between 5 and 15 years old, and recurrences often occur within 3 to 5 years after the first onset. The results of the study showed that 46.7% of cases were caused by mitral valve disease alone, which was the highest proportion, followed by mitral valve combined with aortic valve, simple aortic valve, tricuspid valve and pulmonary valve. The main lesions are edema and exudation at the edge and base of the valve, which gradually expands to the entire valve and even involves the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles, causing fusion of the valve leaflets at the junction of the valve, fusion and shortening of the chordae tendineae, and fibrosis, stiffness, curling and calcification of the valve leaflets, leading to stenosis or incomplete closure of the valve opening. Valvular stenosis: The valve junction is adhered, thickened, and hardened, and cannot open completely. The valve opening is small, which hinders the normal flow of blood. Valvular insufficiency: the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles proliferate, shorten, and harden, the valve cannot close completely, and blood refluxes.

2. Symptoms and Signs

1. Palpitations and shortness of breath after activities, even dyspnea, sitting up for breath, and inability to lie flat at night;

2. Coughing and bloody sputum occur after slight activities or fatigue, and it is easy to catch a cold;

3. Loss of appetite, which means that you have not eaten well for a period of time. Gastrointestinal blood stasis may lead to poor digestion and abdominal bloating. Decreased urine volume, lower limb edema, abdominal distension, ascites, enlarged liver and spleen, etc.

4. Most patients have purple-red cheekbones and lips, which is called "mitral valve facies".

5. Palpitations are often caused by atrial fibrillation or arrhythmia. Rapid atrial fibrillation causes patients to feel uncomfortable and even have difficulty breathing or make it worse, prompting patients to seek medical attention. Atrial fibrillation is also the main cause of atrial thrombosis and even stroke in patients.

6. Chest pain. Chest pain caused by simple valvular disease is generally not effective with nitroglycerin.