Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease of the heart potentially involving all layers (endocardium, pericardium and myocardium). The resulting damage to the heart from rheumatic fever is termed as rheumatic heart disease, a chronic condition characterized by scaring and deformity of heart valves. Acute rheumatic fever is a complication of up to 3 % of sporadic upper respiratory infection caused by group A B hemolytic streptococci. A complication results from acute rheumatic fever is chronic rheumatic carditis. It resuls from changes in valvular structure. It resuls in fibrous tissue groth in valve leaflets and chordea tendinea with scarring and contractures. Mitral valve is most frequently involved. Needs medical as well as surgical management.
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2022: 6.012
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