Contemporary Diagnosis and Management of Rheumatic Heart Disease: Implications for Closing the Gap: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Contemporary Diagnosis and Management of Rheumatic Heart Disease: Implications for Closing the Gap: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020 Oct 19;:CIR0000000000000921 Authors: Kumar RK, Antunes MJ, Beaton A, Mirabel M, Nkomo VT, Okello E, Regmi PR, Reményi B, Sliwa-Hähnle K, Zühlke LJ, Sable C, American Heart Association Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; and Council on Clinical Cardiology Abstract The global burden of rheumatic heart disease continues to be significant although it is largely limited to poor and marginalized populations. In most endemic regions, affected patients present with heart failure. This statement will seek to examine the current state-of-the-art recommendations and to identify gaps in diagnosis and treatment globally that can inform strategies for reducing disease burden. Echocardiography screening based on World Heart Federation echocardiographic criteria holds promise to identify patients earlier, when prophylaxis is more likely to be effective; however, several important questions need to be answered before this can translate into public policy. Population-based registries effectively enable optimal care and secondary penicillin prophylaxis within available resources. Benzathine penicillin injections remain the cornerstone of secondary prevention. Challenges with penicillin proc...
Source: Circulation - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Circulation Source Type: research