Rheumatic heart disease or rheumatic fever

Rheumatic fever (RF) is a rheumatic disease, inflammatory autoimmune origin in the body's response to infection by streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) of Lancefield group A (serological classification of groups, 20 in total).
Treatment
The search for a specialist is essential. After the diagnosis, eradication of the infection is performed with a single dose of benzathine according to the age of the person. Patient allergic to penicillin has alternatively erythromycin for 10 days.
The rest is recommended for a period of 2 to 3 months. The patient with polyarthritis without carditis should make use of anti-inflammatory hormone, such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA ®, Aspirin ®) for 2 weeks and reduce the dose gradually until complete months of rest recommended.
The carditis requires the use of more powerful anti-inflammatory. Corticosteroid therapy is recommended, as well as specific drugs, if any heart failure. Chorea is treated with bed rest and reassuring for patients with behavioral disturbances.
Diagnosis
May be established by evaluation of clinical manifestations associated with evidence of previous streptococcal infection. The absence of the latter would decrease the likelihood of disease, except in cases of late manifestations, such as those of chorea (involuntary movements abrupt: muscle weakness, speech difficulties - dysarthria). It may also be a dosage of streptolysin O being a reliable marker of infection by Streptococcus pyogenes (except for cutaneous infections where this toxin is produced).