28.03.2011 09:30
Consensus reached on diagnosis of RHD in developing countries
Experts from Affected Countries Meet to Agree New Standards for Early Diagnosis
March 28, 2011 (Bangkok, Thailand) – Experts from countries most affected by rheumatic heart disease (RHD) met this weekend to develop a standardised approach to diagnosis of the disease using echocardiography (ultrasound) at the International Standardisation of Echocardiographic diagnosis of RHD Workshop in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Doctors have known for many years that echocardiography is better than using a stethoscope to detect acute heart damage in patients with rheumatic fever,” said Dr. Nigel Wilson, Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. “But until now we have not been able to say clearly how echocardiography should be used to diagnose the chronic RHD that arises from rheumatic fever. These machines are so sensitive that they allow us to detect abnormalities that may not cause any symptoms or heart murmurs – the challenge is to be sure that we all agree on what constitutes RHD in these milder cases.”
The consensus reached during the meeting will be used to develop guidelines for physicians around the world that face significant challenges in diagnosing RHD early.
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