Other rheumatic heart diseases
This condition involves long-term heart damage caused by a previous immune system reaction to a common bacterial throat infection.
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Other rheumatic heart diseases occur when a past case of rheumatic fever—an inflammatory condition triggered by strep throat—leaves permanent scarring on the heart's valves. The heart valves are the tiny flaps that act like one-way doors to keep your blood flowing in the right direction.
Because the heart valves were damaged during the initial illness, they may struggle to open or close properly over time. This makes the heart work much harder to pump blood through the body, which can cause the heart muscle to weaken or become enlarged.
Common Symptoms
- Feeling unusually short of breath, especially during exercise or when lying flat in bed.
- A feeling of a fluttering or racing heart, known as palpitations.
- Unexplained swelling in the feet, ankles, or legs.
- Feeling very tired or weak despite getting enough sleep.
- Chest pain or a feeling of pressure in the chest.