Heart Disease and Heart Attack Forum - Rheumatic Heart Disease

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Q: Rheumatic Heart Disease

asked by: roy_123 on June 17th, 2008

New User

I'm now 47 years old male. I've been diagnosed having rheumatic heart disease about five years back - out of non specific symptoms during a routine check and echo cardiograph. Since then I've been put on Penicillin 12 Lakh inj every three weeks. Current Echo cardiograph reads
Thickened leaflets, Restricted movement of PML
Mild subvulvular fusion
Oriface area 1.63 sq cm(PHT) & 1.64 sq cm(Painmetry)
Moderate eceentric MR
Rheumatic aortic valve disese
Three cusps mildly thickened
No AS/AR
LV normal LVEF-65%
RV-Normal
No pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Docs say that there is no immediate need for surgical intervention but ask me to continue the injection. I sometime feel fatigued and little breatheless while walking briskly.

Will any one review my case I can send the scanned copy of my Echo cardiograph - to make me understand the gravity of the condition. I'm a diabetic .

Replies(1)

Dr. Nikola

replied on June 23rd, 2008

Doctor

Rheumatic heart disease (febris reumatica) is some kind of autoimmune disorder that is provoked by infection with Streptococcus pyogenes type A. Infection stimulates the immune system to create antibodies against certain heart structures and damaging them because of the inflammation. Every next attack of the disease causes further damages of the heart's structures (valves and muscle) and heart's function. Further heart damage can be prevented by preventing another Streptococcus infection with Depo-Penicillin.
According to your ECHO results, mitral and aortic valve are mostly damaged but the function of the heart in general is still satisfying.

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