RHD Full Form

Rheumatic heart disease primarily affects children and teenagers in low- and middle-income economies, particularly in regions where poverty is pervasive, and health resources are several. The disease is most likely to strike those in congested and unhygienic ambiances. While being eliminated in many areas of the world, the illness persists in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Central and South Asia, the South Pacific and among immigrants and elderly individuals in high-income nations, particularly among locals. This disease kills over 300,000 individuals each year throughout the world. Rheumatic heart disease is the most prevalent heart sickness encountered in pregnant women in areas where rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease are widespread.

The signs and symptoms of Rheumatic heart disease:

The Full form of RHD is Rheumatic heart disease. RHD signs may not appear for several years. Symptoms vary depending on which cardiac valves are impacted and the kind and intensity of the damage. Symptoms usually begin 1 to 6 weeks following a streptococcus throat infection. The infection may have been too moderate to be detected in some cases. It might even be gone by the time the person consults a specialist.

Rheumatic heart disease symptoms include:

• Breathing problems
• Stomach, hands and feet swelling
• Fatigue
• Heartbeats that are fast or irregular
• Pain or discomfort in the chest

The following are the most prevalent rheumatic fever symptoms:

• Fever
• Joints that are swollen, sensitive, red, and extremely painful (very often the knees and ankles)
• Under the skin, lumps (nodules)
• A red, raised, and a lattice-like rash appears across the chest, back, and belly.
• Shortness of breath and soreness in the chest
• Uncontrolled arm, leg, or facial muscular movements
• Weakness

How can it be treated?

Rheumatic heart disease generally has no treatment, and the damage to the heart valves is irreversible. Treatment is mainly determined by the extent of damage to the heart valves. In severe circumstances, surgery to replace or repair a significantly damaged valve may be required. Still, when surgeries are offered in low-income areas, the expenses may be prohibitively expensive if not covered by national health programs, placing families under financial duress. Blood-thinning medications may also be required to lower the risk of blood clots. 

Preventing rheumatic fever is the best therapy!

Rheumatic heart disease can be prevented by adequate early intervention.

Reduced GAS exposure, primary prevention to prevent first episodes of RF, and secondary prevention to prevent repeated episodes of RF is the leading therapies for RHD prevention and management. Secondary prevention is the most critical aspect of a good RHD therapy since recurring bouts of RF induce severe cardiac problems. Once RHD has been diagnosed, tertiary prevention is utilized to prevent problems. In underdeveloped countries, prevention techniques are the most tempting alternative for long-term illness control.

The goal of primitive prevention is to avert strep throat outbreaks by addressing poverty, improving living and housing conditions, and expanding access to health care.

Primary rheumatic fever prevention can be done by effectively treating strep throat with adequate medicines (penicillin). 

The following are the critical preventive, control, and eradication methods for nations where rheumatic heart disease is endemic:

• Strengthening standard of life
• Increasing access to proper medical treatment
• Providing a steady supply of high-quality antibiotics for both primary and secondary prevention
• Planning, developing, and executing effective rheumatic heart disease preventive and control programs
• Adequate observation and surveillance

Challenges

Effective therapy of streptococcal sore throat can avoid rheumatic heart disease, although the treatment at this early stage is seldom done. Households may lack the time or financial means to visit a hospital or be unaware of the consequences of untreated ‘strep throat.’ Healthcare personnel may also lack the expertise needed to correctly identify and treat strep throat. Rheumatic fever can develop if not managed. When long-term therapy is anticipated, access to care becomes even more of a challenge, as it can be complex and expensive for patients to access a healthcare provider regularly.

A regular supply of benzathine penicillin G is recommended to treat throat infections and prevent relapse. However, global limitations of antibiotics are a possibility. High manufacturing costs and low buying prices have forced several producers out of business despite increased demand for medicine. Long-term treatment regimens are disturbed when the medicine is unavailable.

Conclusion

RHD, characterized by valve heart injury, is one of the most frequent and avoidable acquired heart disorders. Although the number of instances has decreased dramatically in wealthy nations, the same cannot be valid for emerging countries—several ways to intervene and reduce morbidity and death along with the strep A to RHD route. Actual identification is crucial in an illness like RHD: A falsified diagnosis will subject the patient to unnecessary and time‐consuming treatment and may cause psychological harm and stigmatization due to the disease’s association and will needlessly add to the human fiscal burden of many emerging economies’ health systems.