Guidelines
Diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Australia
Summary
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an illness caused by a reaction to a bacterial infection, which often results in lasting damage to heart valves. This is known as rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and it is an important cause of premature mortality. Almost all cases of RHD and associated deaths are preventable.
The burden of ARF in industrialised countries declined dramatically during the 20th century, due mainly to reduced transmission and better availability of medical care. In most affluent populations, including much of Australia, ARF is now rare and RHD occurs predominantly in the elderly.
However, ARF and RHD remain common in many developing countries. RHD is the most frequent form of heart disease in children worldwide.
There is also considerable regional variation within countries. In Australia, ARF and RHD are highly prevalent among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, mostly affecting young people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are up to eight times more likely than non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be hospitalised for ARF and RHD, and nearly 20 times as likely to die.
The National Heart Foundation of Australia (NHFA) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) jointly developed this evidence-based review to address factors contributing to inadequate diagnosis and management of ARF and RHD in Australia. The review covers diagnosis and management of ARF, secondary prevention and RHD control programs, and diagnosis and management of chronic RHD.
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Diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Australia (1.3MB)
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