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Rheumatic heart disease
Do patients with rheumatic heart disease fear catching a cold?
Rheumatic heart disease is mainly caused by infections from hemolytic streptococci, leading to heart valve abnormalities and changes in cardiac function and structure. The condition most commonly affects the mitral valve, resulting in mitral regurgitation. Patients often exhibit symptoms of heart failure. Exposure to cold or catching a cold can exacerbate the burden on the heart, leading to increased cardiac load and worsening symptoms of heart failure. Therefore, patients with rheumatic heart disease are particularly susceptible and fearful of catching colds. It is crucial for these patients to stay warm, use medication promptly when symptoms of a cold appear, and avoid vigorous exercise to prevent an increased cardiac load and potential acute heart failure. (Medication should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.)
How does one get rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic heart disease is a type of organic heart disease caused by the body's abnormal reaction to infection with hemolytic streptococcus, leading to valve damage and the occurrence of rheumatic heart disease. It is directly related to upper respiratory tract infections and tonsillitis. To prevent the occurrence of heart disease, it is important to control infections early. Upon the appearance of upper respiratory tract infections, tonsillitis, or tonsillar suppuration, timely selection of effective antibiotics for treatment can control the infection early and prevent the onset of rheumatic heart disease.
What should be avoided with rheumatic heart disease?
Patients with rheumatic heart disease should avoid overexertion and getting angry. Both overexertion and anger can increase the heart's burden, leading to a worsening of the heart disease. Patients should consume easily digestible foods and avoid spicy and greasy foods because these can cause indigestion or gastrointestinal symptoms, which in turn can increase the burden on the heart. A low-salt diet is also recommended; avoid eating overly salty dishes. Consuming foods high in salt can lead to retention of sodium and water in the blood, which increases the heart's burden, and in severe cases, can lead to heart failure.
Can rheumatic heart disease heal itself?
Rheumatic heart disease cannot heal itself, because it is caused by pathological damage to the heart valves, leading to narrowing of the valves and incomplete closure. Through careful treatment and management, clinical symptoms can be alleviated, but it cannot heal itself. Those with rheumatic heart disease must take it seriously, try to reduce the burden on the kidneys, and minimize colds. Eating easily digestible food, reducing the burden on the heart, and adhering to a low-salt, low-fat diet are recommended.
Rheumatic heart disease etiology
Rheumatic heart disease is a type of organic heart disease, often caused by an abnormal immune response following a streptococcal infection, which affects the heart valves, resulting in valvular lesions, leading to stenosis or insufficiency, and posing significant risks to human health, severely impacting physical well-being. To prevent the occurrence of rheumatic heart disease, it is essential to actively control streptococcal infections, commonly including tonsillitis and upper respiratory tract infections. When a streptococcal infection occurs, effective antibiotics should be actively used to control the infection and reduce the incidence of rheumatic heart disease.
Is rheumatic heart disease hereditary?
Rheumatic heart disease is not hereditary, and it is not a genetic disease; it is not directly related to genetics. It is mainly due to an abnormal immune response caused by streptococcal infection, which leads to damage to the heart valves, resulting in stenosis and insufficiency of the heart valves. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of rheumatic heart disease. Very rare rheumatic streptococcal infections can be reduced by using effective antibiotics to control the streptococcal infection. Common diseases that cause streptococcal infections include tonsillitis and upper respiratory tract infections. Once tonsillitis or an upper respiratory tract infection occurs, effective antibiotics should be used to control the infection as soon as possible.
Is rheumatic heart disease considered a serious illness?
In the case of rheumatic heart disease, it spans different stages of the disease. In its early stage, it can affect the heart valves to a certain extent. However, this impact may progressively worsen over time. Thus, the initial effects on the heart are not severe. Once it causes mitral valve regurgitation, patients often exhibit clear symptoms, such as chest tightness and shortness of breath after activity, and in severe cases, pulmonary edema, coughing, and expectoration of bloody sputum. Severe cases can lead to nocturnal insomnia and orthopnea, presenting with paroxysmal breathing difficulties. These symptoms indicate cardiac function failure, a serious condition. Therefore, inadequate or delayed treatment can be life-threatening.
Rheumatic heart disease contraindications
Patients with rheumatic heart disease must avoid emotional excitement, as it can lead to an increased heart rate and an increased burden on the heart. They must also avoid overexertion, as it can exacerbate heart failure, and a high-salt diet, as consuming too much salt can lead to an increased fluid volume, worsening heart burden and potentially inducing or worsening heart failure. Patients with rheumatic heart disease should generally maintain a pleasant mood, rest adequately, avoid overexertion, eat light and easily digestible foods, and have a high-protein diet. They should also avoid cold and prevent colds to avoid worsening the burden on the heart and the symptoms of heart failure.
What should be noted for rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic heart disease is caused by valvular pathology and often affects heart function. It is important to rest regularly, avoid overexertion, wear more clothing to prevent colds, and avoid exposure to cold winds. Each occurrence of a cold can exacerbate rheumatic heart disease. Dietary attention should focus on easily digestible, high-nutrient foods. Avoid consuming spicy and greasy foods, as they can lead to indigestion and gastrointestinal irritation, which can worsen symptoms of heart disease and increase the cardiac burden, bringing about adverse factors for the patient.
Can rheumatic heart disease be cured?
There are many clinical treatment methods for rheumatic heart disease, which can improve the quality of life and clinical symptoms of patients with rheumatic heart disease through dietary therapy, but cannot cure it, as rheumatic heart disease involves pathological changes in the valves. Currently, surgery is commonly used in the clinic to treat rheumatic heart disease, to improve the patient's quality of life, enhance cardiac comfort, and improve heart function. Therefore, patients with rheumatic heart disease should not overly rely on folk remedies for a cure, need to pay attention to rest, avoid overexertion to prevent increasing the cardiac burden, and treatment should be under the guidance of a doctor, using different medications according to individual characteristics.