- Treating strep throat with antibiotics is aimed at preventing Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF)
- Diagnose ARF using Revised Jones Criteria - which includes evidence of a strep infection + either 2 major or 1 major & 2 minor criteria
- There is "no rheum for SPECCulation" - meaning the major criteria include Subcutaneous nodules, Polyarthritis, Erythema marginatum, Chorea, & Carditis
- Crucial to prevent repeated bouts of ARF in patients with history of rheumatic carditis
- RHD is MC cause of acquired heart disease in developing countries (Kawasaki's in U.S.)
- RHD tends to present with early mitral valve regurgitation (MR) & delayed mitral valve stenosis (MS)
