Subscribe
Rheumatic heart disease
Can rheumatic heart disease eat seafood?
For patients with rheumatic heart disease, it is recommended to avoid seafood in their diet. This is because seafood is relatively stimulating and can cause allergic reactions in patients. It is advisable for patients with rheumatic heart disease to follow a light diet, especially consuming easily digestible foods. During this period, the gastrointestinal function of patients is not very good, and there may be some congestion in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to a decrease in appetite. Therefore, it is even more important to eat foods that are easy to digest and pass through the digestive system. It is also important to maintain regular bowel movements. Particularly, spicy and stimulating foods should be avoided. Moreover, regular check-ups of the electrocardiogram and cardiac ultrasound are necessary.
Can rheumatic heart disease cause angina?
Rheumatic heart disease most commonly manifests as rheumatic myocarditis, pericardial thickening, or pericardial effusion. The majority of patients also present with mitral valve stenosis and insufficiency, and some also have aortic valve stenosis and insufficiency. When patients have severe aortic valve stenosis or severe aortic valve insufficiency, it leads to insufficient blood supply from the aorta, causing inadequate coronary circulation, which then can lead to angina.
The difference between rheumatic heart disease and myocarditis
Rheumatic heart disease refers to changes in the heart and heart valves caused by a disruption in the body's immune system following infection by Group A Streptococcus. Some also exhibit signs of heart inflammation and pericardial effusion, commonly presenting mitral stenosis, aortic valve stenosis or insufficiency, and tricuspid valve insufficiency. Myocarditis, on the other hand, refers to direct invasion of the heart muscle by viruses or bacteria, leading to heart muscle damage and cardiac dysfunction. Some cases present with arrhythmias, while others exhibit heart failure or shock, which can be severe enough to cause death. Generally, rheumatic heart disease has a longer course of illness, whereas myocarditis tends to improve within about two weeks. However, fulminant myocarditis has a high mortality rate, often accompanied by symptoms of heart failure, and some patients may suffer from long-term arrhythmias as a complication.
Does rheumatic heart disease cause dizziness?
Patients with rheumatic heart disease primarily exhibit symptoms of rheumatic myocarditis, pericarditis, or lesions of the mitral valve, aortic valve, and tricuspid valve including the pulmonary valve, with mitral stenosis being the most common. Generally, severe heart disease can impair the heart's pumping ability, leading to insufficient blood supply to the brain, causing dizziness. Some individuals with mitral stenosis may experience an enlargement of the atrium, leading to atrial fibrillation. Once atrial fibrillation occurs, the left atrial appendage can form blood clots, increasing the risk of clot detachment. If a clot detaches, it can pass directly through the right ventricle into the cerebral arteries, causing a major artery embolism that results in dizziness. In severe cases, this can lead to sudden death in patients.
Is the rheumatoid factor high in rheumatic heart disease?
If the patient has rheumatic heart disease, especially mitral regurgitation or mitral stenosis, this condition can occur. However, the rheumatoid factor may not necessarily be high, as the rheumatoid factor can lead to some cases of rheumatic heart disease, but it is not always elevated. Because this condition cannot be improved even with aggressive treatment, sometimes surgical treatment may still be needed. This is a type of congenital heart disease that can cause these conditions in patients. Rheumatic heart disease is mainly characterized by chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and a booming or mechanical murmur in the precordial area, all of which can occur, but the rheumatoid factor is not necessarily high.
What should I do if rheumatic heart disease causes excessive sweating?
If patients frequently experience heart murmurs in the precordial area due to rheumatic heart disease, accompanied by palpitations, chest tightness, and sweating, it is recommended to treat with infusion therapy and use medication to control the patient's heart function. If the patient's heart function is corrected, the symptoms of sweating will also be alleviated or relieved. It is advised that patients visit a cardiology department and choose hospitalization to improve their symptoms. After treatment, long-term and regular oral medication is still needed, as this disease is prone to recurrence. Regular hospital visits for electrocardiograms and echocardiograms are also necessary. If the symptoms are severe, sometimes surgical treatment may be recommended to relieve the current sweating symptoms.
Can rheumatic heart disease patients exercise?
Patients with rheumatic heart disease should go to the hospital for assessment, undergo cardiac ultrasound, and perform exercise tests. If the exercise test indicates cardiac function is below class II, or if the six-minute walk test reaches above class IV, exercise can be pursued. If patients have concerns, they can exercise under the guidance of a cardiac rehabilitation therapist at the hospital. For patients with cardiac function class III and above, exercise is not recommended. It is advised that they manage heart failure in the hospital or consider exercise only after surgery and when the condition is stable.
What should I do about rheumatic heart disease asthma?
If the patient has rheumatic heart disease, the main symptoms include palpitations, chest tightness, and shortness of breath after activity, as well as swelling in both lower extremities. If wheezing symptoms occur, some cardiotonic drugs can be used in treatment to improve the patient's symptoms. Currently, treatment primarily focuses on symptomatic relief and improving the patient's cardiac and pulmonary functions. During this period, it is important to actively prevent complications. If the patient's symptoms occur abruptly, it is crucial to seek immediate medical attention at a hospital. Sometimes, infusion therapy and low-flow oxygen inhalation are required to effectively alleviate the patient's current symptoms of palpitations, chest tightness, and breathing difficulties.
Is rheumatic heart disease related to dampness?
Rheumatic heart disease often occurs in the southern regions where there is a higher level of humidity. Some patients develop rheumatic heart disease after suffering from rheumatic arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. In Western medicine, it is believed to be due to a series of immune system damages caused by infection with Group A streptococcus, leading to rheumatic inflammation of the heart or damage to the valve functions. This often presents as mitral stenosis, atrial fibrillation, or pericardial effusion. Therefore, according to traditional Chinese medicine theory, rheumatic heart disease is related to humidity.
What should I do about swollen feet caused by rheumatic heart disease?
Patients with rheumatic heart disease who experience swelling in their feet usually suffer from heart failure. First and foremost, it is important to rest and avoid excessive exertion to alleviate the burden on the heart, ensuring adequate sleep and relaxation, maintaining a pleasant mood, consuming easily digestible foods, and following a low-fat, low-salt diet, particularly avoiding high-sodium foods. Eating foods high in sodium can lead to water and sodium retention, which increases the burden on the heart and worsens swelling. In severe cases, it is necessary to use effective diuretic medications under the guidance of a doctor to reduce the cardiac load and eliminate fluid retention.