Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner lining of the heart that is usually caused by a bacterial infection. Common symptoms include fever, chills, heart murmurs, and muscle or joint pain. It can be diagnosed through echocardiograms, blood tests, and electrocardiograms. Treatment involves intravenous antibiotics for weeks and may require heart valve surgery to repair damage. Complications can include abnormal heart rhythms, blood clots, and embolisms that spread the infection to other organs like the kidneys, lungs, and brain.

1. Endocarditis
BY.........KHUSH
BSCARDIOLOGY
KHYBERMEDICALUNIVERSITY

2. What is endocarditis?
• Endocarditis is inflammation of your heart’s inner
lining, called the endocardium. It’s usually caused by
bacteria. When the inflammation is caused by
infection, the condition is called infective endocarditis.
Endocarditis is uncommon in people with healthy
hearts.

3. What arethesymptomsof endocarditis?
• The symptoms of endocarditis aren’t always severe, and they may develop
slowly over time. In the early stages of endocarditis, the symptoms are
similar to many other illnesses. This is why many cases go undiagnosed.
• Many of the symptoms are similar to cases of the flu or other infections,
such as pneumonia. However, some people experience severe symptoms
that appear suddenly. These symptoms may be due to inflammation or
the associated damage it causes.

4. Commonsymptomsof endocarditisinclude:
I. heart murmur, which is an abnormal heart sound of turbulent blood flow through the heart
II. pale skin
III. fever or chills
IV. night sweats
V. muscle or joint pain
VI. nausea or decreased appetite
VII. a full feeling in the upper left part of your abdomen
VIII. unintentional weight loss
IX. swollen feet, legs, or abdomen
X. cough or shortness of breath

5. Lesscommonsymptomsof endocarditisinclude:
I. blood in your urine
II. weight loss
III. an enlarged spleen, which may be
tender to touch

6. Changesin theskinmayalsooccur, including:
I. tender red or purple spots below the skin of fingers or toes
II. tiny red or purple spots from blood cells that leaked out of ruptured capillary
vessels, which usually appear on the whites of the eyes, inside the cheeks, on the
roof of the mouth, or on the chest
• The signs and symptoms of infectious endocarditis vary greatly from person to
person. They can change over time, and they depend on the cause of your infection,
heart health, and how long the infection has been present. If you have a history of
heart problems, heart surgery, or prior endocarditis, you should contact your doctor
immediately if you have any of these symptoms. It’s especially important to contact
your doctor if you have a constant fever that will not break or you’re unusually tired
and don’t know why.

7. What arethecausesof endocarditis?
• The main cause of endocarditis is an overgrowth of bacteria. Although these
bacteria normally live on the inside or outside surfaces of your body, you might
bring them inside to your bloodstream by eating or drinking. Bacteria could also
enter through cuts in your skin or oral cavity. Your immune system normally
fights off germs before they cause a problem, but this process fails in some people.
• In the case of infective endocarditis, the germs travel through your bloodstream
and into your heart, where they multiply and cause inflammation. Endocarditis
can also be caused by fungi or other germs.

8. Riskfactorsfor endocarditis
I. injecting illicit intravenous drugs with a needle contaminated
with bacteria or fungi
II. scarring caused by heart valve damage, which allows bacteria or
germs to grow
III. tissue damage from having endocarditis in the past
IV. having a heart defect
V. having an artificial heart valve replacement

9. Howisendocarditisdiagnosed?
I. Transthoracic echocardiogram.
II. Transesophageal echocardiogram.
III. Blood test.
IV. Electrocardiogram.
V. Chest X ray.

10. Howisendocarditistreated?
• Antibiotics
• If your endocarditis is caused by bacteria, it will be treated with
intravenous antibiotic therapy. Your doctor will advise you to take
antibiotics until your infection and related inflammation are effectively
treated. You will likely receive these in a hospital for at least a week, until
you show signs of improvement. You will need to continue antibiotic
therapy upon discharge from the hospital. You may be able to transition
to oral antibiotics later in your treatment. Antibiotic therapy typically
takes up to six weeks to complete.

11. • Surgery
• Prolonged infective endocarditis or damaged heart valves
caused by endocarditis may require surgery to correct.
Surgery may be done to remove any dead tissue, scar tissue,
fluid buildup, or debris from infected tissue. Surgery may
also be done to repair or remove your damaged heart valve,
and replace it with either man-made material or animal

12. What arethecomplicationsassociatedwithendocarditis?
• Complications may develop from damage caused by
your infection. These can include an abnormal heart
rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation, blood clots, other
organ injury, and hyperbilirubinemia with jaundice.
Infected blood can also cause emboli, or clots, to travel
to other parts of your body.

13. Otherorgansthatcanbeaffectedinclude:
I. kidneys, which may become inflamed, causing a condition called
glomerulonephritis
II. lungs
III. brain
IV. bones, particularly your spinal column, which may become infected,
causing osteomyelitis
V. Bacteria or fungi can circulate from your heart and affect these areas.
These germs can also cause abscesses to develop in your organs or
other parts of your body

14. • F***o