Acute rheumatic fever

If you are diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever you will be treated with antibiotics.

Anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin or corticosteroids reduce inflammation to help manage acute rheumatic fever.

You may have to take low doses of antibiotics (such as penicillin, sulfadiazine, or erythromycin) over the long term to prevent strep throat from returning.

Rheumatic fever is likely to come back in people who don't take low-dose antibiotics continually, especially during the first 3 -5 years after the first episode of the disease. Heart complications may be severe, particularly if the heart valves are involved.

• Arrhythmias
• Damage to heart valves (in particular, mitral stenosis and aortic stenosis)
• Endocarditis
• Heart failure
• Pericarditis
• Sydenham chorea

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of rheumatic fever. Because several other conditions have similar symptoms, you will need careful medical evaluation.

If you have symptoms of strep throat, tell your health care provider. You will need to be evaluated and treated if you do have strep throat, to decrease your risk of developing rheumatic fever.

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Rheumatic fever Symptoms

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Rheumatic fever Prevention

Review Date: 05/09/2010
Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pahtophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)