Current status of rheumatic heart disease in India.

The rheumatic heart disease continues to be an important cause of disease burden in India, affecting the population in their prime and productive phase of the life. The prevalence of rheumatic heart disease is varied in different Indian studies, because of the inclusion of different populations at different point of times and using different screening methods for the diagnosis. The data on incidence and prevalence on a nationally represented sample are lacking. There is a need for establishing a population-based surveillance system in the country for monitoring trends, management practices, and outcomes to formulate informed guidelines for initiating contextual interventions for prevention and control of rheumatic heart disease.