Infective Endocarditis
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 168, Word Count: 793,
Infective endocarditis is an infection of the endocardium (heart’s inner lining) or the heart valves. If the infective endocarditis is not treated, it can cause many other complications like blood clot (embolism), an irregular heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia), heart valve damage, and congestive heart failure. It is one of the serious heart infections which is life threatening.
Causes of Infective Endocarditis
- Bacteria, fungi or other microorganisms usually cause infection that leads to endocarditis. Bacterial endocartitis, sub acute bacterial endocarditis are the terms used to describe the infective endocarditis caused only by bacteria.
- Microorganism can enter into your mouth, intestine, urinary tract or on your skin but not in your blood stream. However, in rare cases it might enter into your blood stream, during a surgical or dental procedure.
- For many people microorganism in the blood stream do not pose a problem. However, in case any of the valves is damaged, your body sends immune cells, fibrin and platelets to heal the valve. Healing process can lead to endocarditis, if any of the microorganisms are trapped under the cells. This trapping of microorganisms result in developing ‘clumps’ of tissue with the heart and also on the heart valves. These clumps are also known as vegetations.
- The condition of vegetation is very dangerous because it can enter into the blood stream. This process is called as embolization. If the clump or the embolus is large, it can block a blood vessel. This blockage of blood stream can result in slow flow of oxygen rich blood to other body organs.
Risk Factors for Developing Infective Endocarditis
Infective endocarditis is more common in the age where people are more than 50 yrs, and men are more likely to get affected than women. You are more likely to get affected by endocarditic if you have any other heart problem or heart valve damage. Following are the risk factors involved for developing endocarditis, if.
1. You are an intravenous drug user
2. You had a heart valve replacement
3. You have done a hypertrophic cardiopathy
4. You have congenital heart defect( a heart defects present from birth)
5. You have a valve disease
6. You had a rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease
7. You have a poor immune system
Signs and Symptoms of Infective Endocarditis
- If you are suffering from acute endocarditis, it means the infection is new and caused recently. In this condition, the symptoms may be flu, fever, muscle aches, pains, decreased energy, and night sweats.
- If you are suffering from chronic endocarditis, it means that the infection occurred about a few months ago. In this condition, symptoms may be tiredness, loss of weight, night sweats, joint pain and heart failure in some cases.
- Other symptoms may include red spots on palms of your hands and sole of your feet, this situation is called as janeway lesions.
- Red and painful sores on the tips of your finger and toes are called as Oslers nodes.
- Heart murmur
Diagnosis for Infective Endocarditis
Most of the doctors can suspect your infective endocarditis, and order to do the following diagnosis test. The test may include.
- Echocardiography
- Transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)
- Computed tomography scanning
- Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)
Treatment of Infective Endocarditis
An antibiotic is the primary treatment for the infective endocarditis. If the vegetations has damaged your heart valves, you may need a surgery for the process. Treatment may include.
- Change in life style
- Medication
- Surgery
If the Infective Endocarditis is diagnosed and treated at an early stage, the person may live a healthy life without any complications.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Nam is a well known heart specialist and has done postgraduate training in cardiology at the national heart hospital, the London chest hospital and UCL hospital, London. He was also engaged in research at the national heart and lung institute. Nowadays he is working as a consultant cardiologist at UCL hospital, London.
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