Rheumatic heart disease: Risk factors, symptoms, treatment, and more Health ConditionsHealth ConditionsAlzheimer's & DementiaAnxietyArthritisAsthma & AllergiesBreast CancerCancerCardiovascular HealthCOVID-19Dermatology & SkincareDiabetesEnvironment & SustainabilityExercise & FitnessEye HealthHeadache & MigraineHealth EquityHIV & AIDSHuman BiologyInflammatory Bowel DiseaseLeukemiaLGBTQIA+Men's HealthMental HealthMultiple Sclerosis (MS)NutritionParkinson's DiseasePsoriasisSexual HealthWomen's HealthDiscoverNewsLatest NewsOriginal SeriesMedical MythsHonest NutritionThrough My EyesNew Normal HealthPodcastsHow to understand chronic painWhat is behind vaccine hesitancy?The amazing story of hepatitis C, from discovery to cureNew directions in dementia researchCan psychedelics rewire a depressed, anxious brain?Why climate change matters for human healthToolsGeneral HealthDrugs A-ZHealth HubsHealth ToolsBMI Calculators and ChartsBlood Pressure Chart: Ranges and GuideBreast Cancer: Self-Examination GuideSleep CalculatorHealth ProductsAffordable Therapy OptionsBlood Pressure MonitorsDiabetic SuppliesFitness TrackersHome GymsGreen Cleaning ProductsHow to Shop for CBDQuizzesRA Myths vs FactsType 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood SugarAnkylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or FictionConnectAbout Medical News TodayWho We AreOur Editorial ProcessContent IntegrityConscious LanguageNewslettersSign UpFollow UsMedical News TodayHealth ConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribe What to know about rheumatic heart diseaseMedically reviewed by Darragh O'Carroll, MD — By Zia Sherrell, MPH on August 30, 2022Rheumatic heart disease is a serious and potentially life threatening condition where the valves of the heart become damaged. This damage can occur following one or more episodes of rheumatic fever. This refers to an autoimmune response to group A Streptococcus (group A strep) bacteria. Group A strep can cause infections such as strep throat or scarlet fever. These infections can trigger inflammation in the body, including the heart and its valves. Without treatment, it can permanently damage the heart valves. Researchers estimate that more than 33 million people had rheumatic heart disease in 2015. They add that the condition leads to around 320,000 deaths each year. Read on to learn more about rheumatic heart disease, including its causes, symptoms, and treatment. What is rheumatic heart disease Share on Pinterestangelhell/Getty ImagesRheumatic heart disease is a condition that affects the heart valves. Specifically, the valves become damaged due to inflammation in the heart tissue. The heart valves are important to ensure blood flows through the heart as it should. They also prevent the backflow of blood. Therefore, damage to the heart valves can cause serious health conditions. Rheumatic heart disease can begin as a throat infection by Streptococcus pyogenes — a type of group A Strep bacteria. Infections with group A strep can pass easily between people in the same way as other upper respiratory tract infections. For example, they can spread through respiratory droplets when a person coughs or sneezes. Who is at risk If a person has an infection with group A strep bacteria, they are at risk of developing rheumatic fever, which can progress to rheumatic heart disease. People are more at risk of these infections in large crowded places, such as schools, day care centers, or colleges. Anyone can develop rheumatic fever, but it is more common in children aged 5 to 15 years. It is very rare in children younger than 3 years old as well as adults. A person who has had rheumatic fever previously is more likely to develop it again if they contract strep throat or scarlet fever. Rheumatic heart disease typically affects people from low or middle income countries who have inadequate access to healthcare. Causes Rheumatic fever can cause rheumatic heart disease, specifically when it affects the heart valves. In some people, repeated group A strep infections can cause the immune system to produce antibodies that attack healthy tissue. This can result in inflammation and scarring of the heart valves. Explore the link between group A strep infections and rheumatic fever here. Symptoms Rheumatic heart disease symptoms can vary depending on the severity and extent of the damage to the heart valve. In some cases, there may be no symptoms, while in others, they may include:chest pain or discomfortshortness of breathswelling of the stomach, hands, or feetfatiguerapid or irregular heartbeat Some symptoms of rheumatic fever can include: fever pain in the joints, especially the knees, ankles, elbows, and wristsfatiguejerky, uncontrollable body movements Learn more about the symptoms of rheumatic fever here. Diagnosis Doctors use a combination of a person’s medical history, physical examination, and other tests to diagnose rheumatic heart disease. The doctor will ask about any past strep throat infections and whether the person has ever had rheumatic fever. They also ask about any symptoms and family history of heart disease. During a physical examination, the doctor will check for signs of heart valve damage, such as a heart murmur. They may also listen to the lungs for any signs of congestion. They may order tests, such as:a chest X-ray to check for an enlarged heartan EKG, which measures the heart’s electrical activity, to look for evidence of heart valve damagea blood test to check if the body is producing an atypical immune response or inflammationa heart ultrasound Treatment There is no cure for rheumatic heart disease, and the damage to the heart valves may be lifelong. People with severe rheumatic heart disease often need surgery to replace or repair damaged heart valves. Depending on the severity of the heart damage, they may also need medication to treat heart failure or heart rhythm abnormalities. They may need medications to thin the blood and reduce the risk of blood clots. Complications People may not know they have rheumatic heart disease until they have heart problems later in life. This is because the initial symptoms can be mild or nonexistent. However, rheumatic heart disease can lead to serious complications, such as:heart failurestrokepulmonary embolismpulmonary hypertensionarrhythmias, or irregular heart rhythmsendocarditis, or infection of the lining around the heartatrial fibrillation Living with rheumatic heart disease People with rheumatic heart disease must consult their doctor regularly to monitor their heart’s condition and ensure it is as healthy as possible. They must also take any medications as a doctor recommends. Individuals with rheumatic heart disease should avoid getting strep throat or scarlet fever. They can do this by washing their hands often and avoiding close contact with people with illnesses. In addition, doctors may prescribe antibiotics to help prevent group A strep infections. It is also important for people with rheumatic heart disease to eat a nutritious diet, get enough exercise and rest, and avoid smoking, if applicable. These lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of complications and help maintain heart health. Pregnancy and rheumatic heart disease Rheumatic heart disease affects females disproportionately. Their risk of developing the condition is twice as high as it is in males. Rheumatic heart disease is the leading cause of maternal heart complications in pregnancy. Pregnant people with the condition are at risk of developing complications such as heart arrhythmias and heart failure. This is because the increased blood volume in the heart can increase the pressure on the valves. It is also not uncommon for people to be unaware that they have rheumatic heart disease until they become pregnant. Summary Rheumatic heart disease is a condition that affects the heart valves. It occurs due to strep throat or scarlet fever. The condition may lead to serious complications later in life. There is no cure for rheumatic heart disease, but people can manage it with medication and surgery. Individuals with rheumatic heart disease must consult their doctor regularly and take any medications as necessary. They should also take precautionary measures to avoid contracting infection with group A strep. Last medically reviewed on August 30, 2022Heart DiseaseRheumatologyheartvalvedisorders 4 sourcescollapsedMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Dass, C., et al. (2021). Rheumatic heart disease. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538286Rheumatic fever: All you need to know. (2022). http://www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/rheumatic-fever.htmlRheumatic heart disease. (2020). http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rheumatic-heart-diseaseRheumatic heart disease. (n.d.).https://world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/rheumatic-heart-disease/FEEDBACK:Medically reviewed by Darragh O'Carroll, MD — By Zia Sherrell, MPH on August 30, 2022 Latest newsWhat sets 'SuperAgers' apart? Their unusually large neuronsOmega-3 may provide a brain boost for people in midlifeSeasonal affective disorder (SAD): How to beat it this fall and winterCDC: Monkeypox in the US 'unlikely to be eliminated in the near future'Why are more women prone to Alzheimer's? New clues arise Related CoverageRheumatic fever: What you need to knowMedically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M.D. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory reaction. It occurs when infections, including those that cause strep throat and scarlet fever, go untreated…READ MOREHow to recognize strep throat Strep throat can be a nasty illness, often with pus at the back of the throat and a fever, but not usually a cough, runny nose, or watery eyes, as…READ MOREWhat you need to know about scarlet feverMedically reviewed by William Morrison, M.D. Scarlet fever causes a rash. It can happen after a strep infection, such as strep throat or impetigo. Complications are rare now, but they can be…READ MORECan the unvaccinated have a heart transplant? Some transplant centers may refuse heart transplant candidates who do not have the recommended COVID-19 vaccinations. Find out the reasons here.READ MORE