A case of rheumatic valvular heart disease treated with Chinese medicine prescription

BACKGROUND Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an autoimmune disease that often leads to irreversible valve damage and heart failure. Surgery is currently an effective treatment, but it may have risks when performing the surgery and some people may not accept it since it is invasive. Therefore, we should find a new effective method to treatment it. CASE SUMMARY A 57 year old woman came to Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University for cardiac color Doppler ultrasound, left heart function test and DTI evaluation, which showed mild mitral stenosis with mild moderate regurgitation and mild moderate aortic regurgitation, confirming the diagnosis of rheumatic valvular disease. The symptoms becames severe and ventricular tachycardia occurred frequently with the heart rate more than 200 and surgical treatment was recommended in 10 days. Patient wanted to treat with traditional Chinese medicine treatment during this period. The symptoms improved significantly especially the ventricular tachycardia is disappear after 1 week of treatment. Follow up visit 3 months after medication, ultrasound showed mild mitral stenosis with mild regurgitation and mild aortic regurgitation, and the operator notified no need for surgical treatment. CONCLUSION Traditional Chinese medicine treatments represent a potential treatment for RHD, mainly valvular stenosis and regurgitation.