A person with rheumatic heart disease has inflammation of the heart, which results in damage to the heart valves and heart muscle. Rheumatic heart disease is the most serious complication of rheumatic fever, which causes of the heart and joints. Rheumatic fever is caused by an infection with Streptococcus bacteria.

Rheumatic heart disease can be divided into two groups:

• Acute rheumatic heart disease, which includes:
• Mitral regurgitation
• Congestive heart failure
• Pericarditis
• Myocarditis
• Chronic rheumatic heart disease, which includes:
• Mitral stenosis
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Left ventricular dysfunction

Chronic rheumatic heart disease is the most common cause of mitral valve stenosis and valve replacement in adults in the United States.