Evaluation of Cardiac Valves of Rheumatic Heart Disease Patients By Using Ultrasound

Abstract

Rheumatic heart disease is cardiac inflammation and scarring triggered by an autoimmune reaction to infection with group A streptococci. The aim of the research is to evaluate the valve of the heart and the severity of valvular lesion in rheumatic heart disease patients by ultrasound (echocardiography), in order to help in the treatment of the disease. This study was prospective, descriptive and analytic study. The study followed the global protocol to achieve examination of the echocardiography. The heart ultrasound (echocardiography) was done by using direct adhesion technology with convex and sector transducers with frequency ranges between 2 to 4MH. Data was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science). The number of patients included in the study was (60) patients. The male patients were more than female in the sample (72.1% and 27.9%, respectively). The mean of their ages was 40years; the results shows high frequency of degenerative valve disease like mixed valves disease, isolated mitral stenosis, isolated aortic regurgitation and aortic stenosis. Valvular changes in Rheumatic heart disease are detectable by conventional ultrasound only in very advanced stages of the disease. The study recommended using echocardiography routinely in the diagnosis and treatment units of rheumatic heart disease and follow up patients with rheumatic heart disease and it also recommended that the research could constitute a base for further research in this field.