Question

A client, age 11, is brought to the hospital by his parents and receives a diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever from strep throat. While the nurse is assessing his heart sounds, she keep in mind that the cardiac structure most susceptible to damage is the:

a. Ventricle
b. Atrium
c. Tricuspid valve
d. Mitral valve

Answer 1

The mitral valve is the most susceptible cardiac structure to damage in a case of acute rheumatic fever from strep throat.The correct answer is option A.

Step-by-step explanation:

When diagnosing a client with acute rheumatic fever resulting from strep throat, the cardiac structure most susceptible to damage is the mitral valve. Acute rheumatic fever is an immune-mediated disease which can lead to inflammation of the heart valves (carditis), caused by a cross-reaction between antibodies to bacterial surface proteins and similar proteins found in the heart.

The mitral valve, situated between the left atrium and the left ventricle, is particularly prone to damage due to rheumatic heart disease, which can result in scarring and stiffness of the valve leaflets and a resultant heart murmur.The correct answer is option A.