menu-hamburger-svgrepo-com

SAMRC contributes to WHO guidelines on rheumatic heart disease

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Rheumatic heart disease remains a critical yet preventable public health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and in marginalised or Indigenous communities. It is characterised by chronic structural and functional changes in the heart, predominantly affecting the valves, and typically arises from repeated episodes of RF. Rheumatic fever itself is an autoimmune inflammatory reaction triggered by infections of the throat or skin caused by Streptococcus pyogenes.

Globally, RHD affects approximately 55 million people, contributing to 360,000 deaths in 2021. The disease continues to be endemic in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, tropical Latin America, and the South Pacific, with women showing a higher prevalence in most regions. Effective and timely interventions are essential to preventing premature morbidity and mortality associated with RHD.

Professor Zühlke emphasised the importance of the guidelines, stating, “These evidence-based guidelines are a landmark, coming nearly 20 years after the last consensus-based recommendations. We anticipate they will improve care and quality of life for over 50 million people living with RHD, the vast majority in low- and middle-income countries.”

The WHO guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for the prevention and management of RF and RHD. These encompass the identification and treatment of suspected group A Streptococcus infections, long-term antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent recurrence, and treatment of RF-related inflammation using anti-inflammatory medication. They also promote adherence to interventions and advocate for early screening to detect RHD.

Welcome to Medical Academic​

Get the most out of Medical Academic by telling us your occupation. This helps us create more great content for you and the community.

idea

1000’s of Clinical and CPD content compiled by Key Opinion Leaders and our expert medical editors.

connection

Access to medical webinars and events

Group 193

Access medical journals from industry leaders and expert medical editorials.

Congratulations! Your account was successfully created.

Please check your email for an activation mail. Click the activation link to activate your account

Stay up to date

Search for anything across CPD, webinars and journals
idea

1000’s of Clinical and CPD content compiled by Key Opinion Leaders and our expert medical editors.

connection

Access to medical webinars and events

Group 193

Access medical journals from industry leaders and expert medical editorials.

Congratulations! You have successfully booked your seat.

All webinar details will be emailed to your email address.

Did you know, you can book future webinars with a single click if you register an account with Medical Academic.

Congratulations! Your account was successfully created.

Your webinar seat has been booked and all webinar details will be emailed to your registered email address

Why not register for Medical Academic while booking your seat for this webinar?

Future Medical Academic webinars can be booked with a single click, all with a Medical Academic account… and it’s FREE.

Book webinar & create your account

* (Required)

idea

1000’s of Clinical and CPD content compiled by Key Opinion Leaders and our expert medical editors.

connection

Access to medical webinars and events

Group 193

Access medical journals from industry leaders and expert medical editorials.

Congratulations! Your account was successfully created.

Thank you for registering. You can now log in to your account.

Create your account

* (Required)

Login with One Time Pin (OTP)

Enter your registered email address to receive an OTP

A verification code will be sent to your email address. Please ensure that admin@medicalacademic.co.za is on your safe sender list.

We've sent your OTP