Western medical treatment for rheumatic fever

  The aim of treatment for rheumatic fever should include the following four aspects: ① Removal of streptococcal infection lesions. (ii) Early observation of the presence of cardiac inflammation and its management. ③Control congestive heart failure. (iv) Relief of joints and other symptoms. Due to the diversity of clinical disease types and the large differences in the severity of the disease, individualized treatment should be implemented.  1.General treatment Attention should be paid to keeping warm, avoiding cold and humidity. If there is heart involvement, rest in bed, avoid physical activity and mental stimulation. Continue bed rest for 3 to 4 weeks after the temperature and blood sedimentation are normal, tachycardia is controlled or other obvious ECG changes are improved, and then gradually resume activities. Patients with acute arthritis should also rest in bed at an early stage until the blood sedimentation and body temperature are normal and then start activities.  2. Application of antibiotics The aim is to eliminate streptococcal infection and treat pharyngeal inflammation and tonsillitis. So far, penicillin is still the most effective streptococcal bactericide. The commonly used dose is 800 to 1.6 million U/d, divided into 2 intramuscular injections, the course of treatment is 10 to 14 days. Later, benzathine penicillin (long-acting penicillin) 1.2 million U/month is used for intramuscular injection. Most of them can control the infection in the pharynx. However, there are a few patients with recurrent episodes of upper respiratory tract streptococcal infection, so that it becomes chronic or prolonged rheumatic fever, for which the following measures can be taken: ① shorten the injection interval of benzathine penicillin to 1 to 3 weeks once, until the upper respiratory tract infection is more stably controlled, and then maintain the prophylactic treatment with 3 to 4 weeks interval. ②Add oral antibiotics such as erythromycin, lincomycin, roxithromycin or cephalosporins.  3, anti-rheumatic therapy On the choice of salicylic acid preparations or hormones as the first choice of anti-rheumatic drugs, there has been a long debate in history, after the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada in the 1960s to carry out a multi-center study of up to 15 years, the United States of 8 hospitals (1960-1965), the results showed that the two efficacy is comparable, no statistically significant on the formation of subsequent heart valve disease differences. The view in recent years is that the drug of choice for rheumatoid arthritis is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is commonly used, with starting doses of 3-4 g/d for adults and 80-100 mg/(kg?d) for children, divided into three to four oral doses. Glucocorticoid therapy is generally used for cardiac inflammation. Prednisone (prednisone) is commonly used, the starting dose is 30-40mg/d for adults and 1.0-1.5mg/(kg?d) for children, divided into 3-4 oral doses. After the disease is controlled, the dose is reduced to 10~15mg/d for maintenance treatment. To prevent rebound after discontinuation of hormone, aspirin can be added 2 weeks or longer before hormone discontinuation, and aspirin can be discontinued only after the former is discontinued for 2-3 weeks. In severe cases such as combined pericarditis or myocarditis and acute heart failure, dexamethasone 5-10mg/d or hydrocortisone 200mg/d can be injected intravenously until the condition improves, and then oral hormone therapy can be changed. In cases where the presence or absence of cardiac inflammation cannot be determined for a while, a choice can be made based on murmur, heart rate, and rhythm. In general, cases with a grade II or higher systolic murmur or a newly developed diastolic murmur in the apical region or aortic valve region, or persistent sinus tachycardia, or arrhythmias with no other explanation, should be treated as cardiac inflammation and treated with hormone therapy. The course of treatment is 6-8 weeks for arthritis alone and at least 12 weeks for cardiac inflammation. If the disease is prolonged, the course of treatment should be extended according to the clinical manifestations and laboratory test results.  4.Treatment of chorea should be added to the above treatment with sedatives such as diazepam (Valium), barbiturates or chlorpromazine, etc. Strong light and noise stimulation should be avoided as much as possible.  5.Treatment of subclinical rheumatic fever Those who have no previous history of rheumatic heart disease only need regular observation and follow-up and adherence to penicillin prophylaxis, no special treatment is needed; those who have had heart disease or are suffering from rheumatic heart disease can develop specific The treatment measures will be developed based on changes in several aspects such as glycoprotein, CIC, antimyocardial antibodies, ASP and PCA tests, echocardiography, ECG and physical signs. ①If the laboratory tests are basically normal and only some items are abnormal, and the ECG and echocardiogram are not special, the patient should continue to be observed and no anti-rheumatic treatment is needed. ②If the laboratory examination changes significantly, the electrocardiogram, echocardiogram changes are not obvious, can inject benzathine penicillin 1.2 million U, for 2 weeks of anti-rheumatic treatment (generally with aspirin), such as 2 weeks after the laboratory results return to normal, can not be diagnosed rheumatic fever, because the disease laboratory changes can not be so quickly back to normal, such as 2 weeks laboratory changes are minimal, and then continue treatment for 2 weeks after the review of the relevant items. If there is still no negative change and there are suspicious symptoms or signs at the same time, rheumatic fever should be highly suspected and treatment is needed, and hospitalization is required for observation and treatment if necessary. (3) If there are obvious changes in laboratory tests, electrocardiogram and echocardiogram and there are obvious changes without other reasons to explain, although the symptoms and signs are not obvious, you should still be hospitalized for observation to make a correct diagnosis or a short course of treatment.  6.Other therapies Rheumatic fever is an immune disease related to streptococcal infection. ② change the highly allergic state of the body, can try immunomodulatory or improve the immunity of the body drugs and foods such as pollen, royal jelly and so on.  7.Non-drug therapy Physical therapy: direct current drug ion introduction method, ultra-short wave electrotherapy, microwave electrotherapy, ultraviolet therapy, acupuncture point ultraviolet irradiation therapy, ultrasound therapy, magnetic therapy.