Rheumatic Heart Disease: Why you shouldn’t take sore throat for granted
Medical experts have advised against taking sore throat for granted to avoid developing Rheumatic Heart Disease, RHD.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says an estimated 15.6 million people worldwide have the disease, and that over 233,000 deaths occur annually due to either acute rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease.
“When you treat the sore throat, it would prevent the risk of developing rheumatic fever and, even those that have rheumatic fever by the time, you treat and place them on periodic prophylaxis, it also prevents development of that complication, says a Consultant Paediatrician at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, Dr Usman Sani “Rheumatic Heart Disease is quite preventable by early recognition and treatment of sore throat.”
He described Rheumatic Heart Disease, as an inflammatory condition that affects the heart especially the valves of the heart.
“Following streptococcal sore throat (pharyngitis), it affects the joint, brain and the heart. Heart involvement is the most serious problem as it can cause residual damage to the heart valves and long-term illness (Rheumatic heart disease).”
He said a detailed study was ongoing on the disease at the hospital but that a previous study conducted on acquired heart diseases in general showed that rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most common acquired heart disease in children within this region.
“There are many things that are implicated but one of the most important agent is group A streptococcus, it is bacteria that infect the throat. That is the underlining reason. Once it affects the throat, from the throat there are a lot of processes ultimately leading to affectation of the heart.”
He said RHD is most common in children between the age of 5-15 years.
“The child develops sore throat usually within one to two weeks of sore throat, he/she may come down with Rheumatic Fever and once he has that recurrent Rheumatic Fever, the main complication is that it would affect the heart,” he said.
The paediatrician said some children that have sore throat from group A streptococcus bacteria, may come down with the symptoms, but that not everyone would have it.
He added: “Usually they have joint pains and the joint pain classically moves from one joint to another, that is what we call migratory arthritis, they have fever, some of them would have other things suggesting involvement of the heart, features of heart failure, they would have fast breathing, the heart rate would increase, they have some swelling of the face or limbs.”
The medical expert said genetic and environmental factors are implicated. “There are environmental factors which are very important for example overcrowding, overcrowd environment, poverty, those with low economic status.”
According to him, reducing these factors tends to reduce the incidence. “When you compare developed countries and under developed, the incidence is much higher in the underdeveloped countries. Even here, you tend to see that the incidence is less among families with high socioeconomic status. Those that have better housing conditions, better nutrition would have less incidence.”
He stressed that rheumatic heart disease is preventable.
“What is important to know is that it is something that can be prevented. It is something that when it happens, the morbidity, the problem is so serious especially to the heart because by the time the valves become damaged, the child will keep coming with recurrent heart failure, illnesses and may need surgery and the cost of surgery is so high but if recognized early, treatment is simply antibiotic,” he said.
Dr Sani harped on the need to ensure proper treatment of sore throat: “Most of the time, people feel it is not something serious that they should seek treatment, they just apply local medication. Paediatricians are advocating community awareness of the Rheumatic Heart Disease. People should not take sore throat for granted. Once you notice it, seek medical treatment so that it can be treated,” he advised. with sore throat