What are the symptoms of rheumatic heart disease? Signs of rheumatic heart disease
Rheumatic heart disease, a type of heart valve disease in which the heart's membranes are damaged due to rheumatic fever activity, is a type of heart disease that has a higher incidence in adolescents. The cause of rheumatic heart disease may be genetic, or it may be caused by certain diseases, so what are the symptoms of rheumatic heart disease?
1. Symptoms of rheumatic heart disease - dyspnea
Dyspnea is a subjective sensation of insufficient air or strained breathing, which is objectively manifested by changes in respiratory rate, depth, and rhythm. According to the pathogenesis, dyspnea can be divided into six basic types: cardiogenic dyspnea, pulmonary dyspnea, central dyspnea, psychiatric neurological dyspnea, toxic dyspnea and hematogenous dyspnea. Dyspnea in rheumatic heart disease is caused by long-term or rapid pulmonary congestion, decreased alveolar elasticity, ventilatory dysfunction, decreased cardiac output, slowed blood flow velocity, and ventilation dysfunction, resulting in hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention and increased pulmonary circulatory pressure, resulting in increased excitability of the reflex respiratory center.
2. Symptoms of rheumatic heart disease - chest pain
Chest pain is a common symptom that can be caused by a variety of causes, sometimes insignificant due to minor local damage, and sometimes significant due to a visceral disorder. According to the origin of chest pain, it can be divided into chest wall lesions, thoracic organ diseases, and other causes of chest pain, and chest pain caused by heart diseases is called cardiogenic chest pain. Angina pectoris due to valvular heart disease, chest pain caused by damage to the chest cavity or pericardium, etc., are included in this category.
3. Symptoms of rheumatic heart disease - syncope
Syncope is a sudden, transient loss of consciousness in rheumatic heart disease caused by a temporary and widespread insufficiency of blood supply to the brain. Main causes: decreased cardiac output (aortic valve disease) or cardiac arrest (conduction block), a sudden, dramatic drop in blood pressure (massive aortic regurgitation), or generalized temporary occlusion of cerebral blood vessels (thrombus detachment). Severe cases of cardiogenic syncope are called acute cardiogenic ischemic syndrome (Adams-stokes syndrome).
4. Symptoms of rheumatic heart disease - palpitations
Palpitation is a feeling of discomfort in the precordial area accompanied by a conscious heart beat, and the common causes are arrhythmia, increased heart beat, etc.
Symptoms: palpitations, shortness of breath after exertion, and even dyspnea, orthopnea, and inability to lie flat at night;
5. Rheumatic heart disease symptoms - cough
Patients with rheumatic heart disease often have symptoms of cough and bloodshot sputum after slight activity or exertion, and due to the impact of rheumatic heart disease on the body's immune function, patients are susceptible to colds.
6. Rheumatic heart disease - loss of appetite
Loss of appetite is almost a uniform symptom of many diseases, because the torture of the disease and the impact of the disease will affect the digestion and absorption of gastrointestinal function, and even people with rheumatic heart disease will lose their appetite due to gastrointestinal congestion.
The main manifestation is the appearance of stomach distention. Decreased urine output, edema of the lower limbs, abdominal distention, ascites, hepatic and splenomegaly, etc.
7. Rheumatic heart disease - cyanosis of the lips
Most people with rheumatic heart disease also have purple-red cheeks and lips, known as a "mitral valve facial". Mitral facial features, also known as rheumatic heart disease facies, are characterized by yellow and puffy complexion, dark red cheeks, bluish lips, dull tongue, palpitation and shortness of breath.
8. Attention should be paid to rheumatic heart disease
One. During the compensatory phase of cardiac function, avoid strenuous activity and excessive fatigue and increase rest time.
Two. Aggressive prevention of rheumatic activity to avoid exacerbation of valvular disease. Increase physical fitness, pay attention to keeping warm, avoid upper respiratory tract infection, and apply antibiotics prophylactically before and after tooth extraction, surgical operation and endoscopy to avoid concurrent infectious inner meningitis.
Three. For patients with active rheumatism, bed rest should be given, and symptoms such as fever and joint pain should basically disappear, and daily work activities should be gradually increased after blood tests are normal.
Four. Diuretics should be taken on a low-salt diet for a long time, and attention should be paid to the symptoms of low potassium, low sodium, and low chloride should be treated promptly.
Five. When anti-rheumatic treatment, it is necessary to observe the toxicity and side effects of the drug frequently, such as the irritation of the gastric mucosa when using aspirin, it is advisable to take it after meals, or use traditional Chinese medicine for anti-rheumatic treatment.
Six. Precautions for heart failure in patients with rheumatic heart disease
a) Patients with severe heart failure should be on absolute bed rest, and should be placed in a high pillow bed or semi-recumbent position.
b) Low-salt, low-fat, low-calorie, high-vitamin easy-to-digest diet, eat small and frequent meals, and avoid oversatiety. Increase the intake of fresh vegetables and fruits, avoid overeating, and consume less than 5 grams of sodium per day.
c) When using digitalis drugs, closely observe the improvement of heart failure, and the pulse rate is less than 60 times/min, the administration should be suspended, and treated according to the doctor's instructions.
d) Family members should comfort the patient at any time to recuperate with peace of mind and enhance the patient's confidence in recovering health.