Specific treatment for rheumatic heart disease will be determined by your child's physician based on :
- Your child's overall health and medical history.
- Extent of the disease.
- Your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies.
- Expectations for the course of the disease.
- Your opinion or preference.
The best treatment for rheumatic heart disease is prevention. Antibiotics can usually treat strep throat (a Streptococcus bacterial infection) and stop acute rheumatic fever from developing. Antibiotic therapy has sharply reduced the incidence and mortality rate of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.
Children who have previously contracted rheumatic fever are often given continuous (daily or monthly) antibiotic treatments to prevent future attacks of rheumatic fever and lower the risk of heart damage.
If inflammation of the heart has developed, children may be placed on bed rest. Medications are given to reduce the inflammation, as well as antibiotics to treat the Streptococcus infection. Other medications may be necessary to handle congestive heart failure.
If heart valve damage occurs, surgical repair or replacement of the valve may be considered.
Source : http://www.chw.org
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