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Home | Conditions | Acquired Heart Disease

Dr Sachin Khambadkone is a leading Paediatric and Adolescent cardiologist in London

ACQUIRED HEART DISEASE

These are diseases of the heart that are not present at birth and are caused by infection or inflammation either of the heart or following infection in any other organs of the body. Treatment involves a multidisciplinary team. Inflammation (swelling, irritation) caused by overzealous reaction of the body to infection can affect heart muscle (myocarditis), valves (rheumatic heart disease) or coronary arteries (Kawasaki disease).

MYOCARDITIS

It describes inflammation of the heart muscle. The most common cause of myocarditis is viral infection. It can occur suddenly or slowly over weeks.

KAWASAKI DISEASE

Kawasaki disease commonly affects children under 5 years of age. It is less common in UK but more common in Asia and Japan. The characteristic symptoms occurring in various combination are: high fever lasting for 5 days or more with rash, swollen neck glands, dry cracked lips, red fingers or toes, red eyes.

RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE

Rheumatic fever is a condition that follows infection with a bug called streptococcus. This often causes sore throat in the preceding weeks, and only in some individuals is followed by rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever affects the heart in addition to joints, skin and brain.

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