Do patients with rheumatic heart disease fear catching a cold?

Written by Wang Lei
Cardiology
Updated on September 14, 2024
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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.)

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Wang Lei
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Does rheumatic heart disease cause bloating?

Rheumatic heart disease can cause stomach bloating. The main reason is that if the patient has severe tricuspid regurgitation, it can lead to right heart failure, causing congestion in the gastrointestinal tract. This leads to a decrease in appetite and a feeling of stomach bloating. Additionally, some heart disease patients are treated for heart failure with large amounts of diuretics, causing electrolyte disorders, such as low sodium or low potassium levels. Patients often exhibit symptoms of stomach bloating, and even nausea, vomiting, and increased fatigue. Thus, rheumatic heart disease can cause stomach bloating.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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The causes of syncope in rheumatic heart disease.

The most common manifestation of rheumatic heart disease involves the mitral valve, leading to severe stenosis and insufficiency of the mitral valve, and decreasing the amount of blood returning to the heart. At this time, there is not enough blood returning to the heart, and naturally, the amount of blood pumped out is reduced. If it is extremely severe, it can lead to fainting; this is the first scenario. The second scenario is rheumatic heart disease affecting the aortic valve, which can also result in insufficient blood being pumped out, causing ischemia and hypoxia in the cerebral arteries, leading to fainting. Another situation is related to heart arrhythmias, which are divided into two types. One type occurs when rheumatic heart disease is very severe, potentially causing atrial fibrillation. Some patients with cardiac bypass might experience ventricular fibrillation, leading to fainting. Additionally, there is a scenario where severe rheumatic inflammation causes dysfunction in the heart's conduction system, leading to conditions similar to sick sinus syndrome or complete atrioventricular block, causing significantly slow heart rhythms, which may also lead to fainting.