Michael T Simpson, Mateusz Kachel, Robert C Neely, W Clinton Erwin, Aleena Yasin, Amisha Patel, Dasari Prasada Rao, Kaushal Pandey, Isaac George
Despite recent public policy initiatives, rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains a major source of morbidity worldwide. Rheumatic heart disease occurs as a sequela of Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcal [GAS]) infection in patients with genetic susceptibility. Strategies for prevention of RHD or progression of RHD include prevention of GAS infection with community initiatives, effective treatment of GAS infection, and secondary prophylaxis with intramuscular penicillin. The cardiac surgical community has attempted to improve the availability of surgery in RHD-endemic areas with some success, and operative techniques and outcomes of valve repair continue to improve, potentially offering patients a safer, more durable operation...
November 2023: Structural heart: the journal of the Heart Team