Endocarditis

Introduction : Endocarditis is a rare condition which leads to the inflammation of the heart lining endocardium, heart muscles and heart valves. The disease is caused by an infection of the endocardium, usually with bacteria. Endocarditis causes vegetations to form on the heart valves, making it more difficult for the heart to function properly. People with a healthy are lesser at a risk of developing Endocarditis. One is more at risk of developing endocarditis with a heart defect. When talking about gender, men are twice more at risk than women to be affected by endocarditis as women. Endocarditis can occur at any age, but people who are aged 50 years and over are more at risk of developing this disease.

Symptoms : Inmost case the symptoms of Endocarditis tend to appear gradually, usually over a period of several weeks or months known as sub-acute endocarditis. However, in some cases, the infection can develop very quickly and is known as acute endocarditis. Acute endocarditis symptoms are more severe and can develop after just a few days. The symptoms of endocarditis may include:

• Fever,
• Chills,
• A new or changed heart murmur,
• Sweating
• Muscular aches and pains,
• Chest pain,
• Coughs,
• Weakness and fatigue,
• Headache,
• Shortness of breath,
• Unexplained weight loss,
• Small areas of bleeding under fingernails or toenails,
• Broken blood vessels on the whites of the eyes and in the skin,
• Swelling of feet, legs, abdomen,
• Blood in the urine, and
• Tender nodules (small lumps) on finger and toes.

Causes : Endocarditis is most commonly caused by bacteria by entering the blood stream and attaching itself to heart valves and tissues. The infection causes inflammation of the endocardium and can also cause vegetations and abscesses to develop on the heart valves and muscles. If bacteria make their way into the endocardium, they can attack the heart tissue, causing endocarditis to develop. Bacteria can occasionally spread from infected areas of your body. Sometimes, certain medical and dental procedures give way to bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Some diagnostic tests also put the patient on risk of developing the disease including gastrointestinal procedures used to examine the organs which take in and digest food, such as the mouth, stomach and intestines.

Treatment Most cases of endocarditis will be treated with a course of antibiotics. Normally a person with this disease needs to be admitted to the hospital for treatment. During the hospital stay, blood samples will be taken regularly to measure the effectiveness of the treatment. Sometimes surgical procedures are required to repair the damage and the three main common surgical procedures are

• the repair of the damaged heart valve,
• the replacement of the damaged heart valves with artificial ones,
• The draining of abscesses that may develop in the heart muscle.