Ralph AP

Currie BJ

2022-08-01

The goals of acute rheumatic fever therapy are to relieve symptoms, mitigate cardiac valve damage and eradicate streptococcal infection. Preventing future recurrences requires long-term secondary antibiotic prophylaxis and ongoing prevention of Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus) infections The recommended regimen for secondary prophylaxis comprises benzathine benzylpenicillin G intramuscular injections every four weeks. For patients with non-severe or immediate penicillin hypersensitivity, use erythromycin orally twice daily The goals of therapy for rheumatic heart disease are to prevent progression and optimise cardiac function. Secondary antibiotic prophylaxis can reduce the long-term severity of rheumatic heart disease Patients with rheumatic heart disease, including those receiving benzathine benzylpenicillin G prophylaxis, should receive amoxicillin prophylaxis before undergoing high-risk dental or surgical procedures. If they have recently been treated with a course of penicillin or amoxicillin, or have immediate penicillin hypersensitivity, clindamycin is recommended.

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin.

RHDAustralia, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals, Northern Territory Health.

(c) NPS MedicineWise.

Aust Prescr. 2022 Aug;45(4):104-112. doi: 10.18773/austprescr.2022.034. Epub 2022 Aug 1.

0000-0002-2253-5749

0000-0002-8878-8837

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36110174/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/12404

45

Therapeutics for rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.

Journal Article

Review

Publication