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- Rheumatic Heart Disease (Rheumatic Fever)
- SYMPTOMS. Signs may include fever, joint swelling, joint pain, tiredness and
- nosebleeds. Rapid heartbeat, chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and
- heart murmur may also be present if heart inflammation develops.
- CAUSES. Rheumatic fever follows strep throat, tonsil, ear or other infection
- after 1 to 4 weeks. It is unclear why some with strep throat or other
- infection develop rheumatic fever and other do not. It usually occurs in
- children between the ages of 4 to 18.
- TREATMENT. Bed rest will be required. Antibiotic drugs may be prescribed.
- .If serious heart valve damage has occured, surgery may be required.