Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD)

Summary of changes

Addition

• Table for how long to use Bicillin L-A
• Added more detail regarding pain management - including use of NSAIDs once diagnosed

Medicines

• Injection - include option of adding lidnocaine to reduce pain and noted that ventrogluteal is preferred site
• Updated (simplified) preventive antibiotics  for infective endocarditis, removed men’s business, burns, abscess from procedures 

Other 

• Clarification of age groups and level of risk
• Added major and minor criteria for diagnosis

Primary references

1. Expert Groups for Antibiotic, version 16 (2021) Antibiotic, Therapeutic Guidelines, accessed 21 May 2021.

2. Rheumatic Heart Disease Australia (ARF/RHD writing group) (2020) The 2020 Australian guideline for prevention, diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, 3rd edition, accessed 11 January 2022.