All About Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic heart disease refers to a variety of abnormal cardiac conditions which include heart valve scarring and endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart).
Rheumatic heart disease can be caused by rheumatic fever, which was once one of the prime killers of children. Rheumatic fever may cause inflammation of the heart valves and scarring of the valve leaflets. This can result in leaking valves or severe narrowing of the valve.