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What is Endocarditis? |
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Symptoms
The interior of a person’s heart has four chambers, and these house four valves within a thin membrane lining. This lining is referred to as the endocardium, and endocarditis is the infection which affects it. If the condition is left untreated, it can injure and break down the heart valves, and such can be life-threatening. Endocarditis develops either gradually or abruptly, depending on the nature of the infection, and if the patient has any preexisting heart dysfunctions. The usual indications of endocarditis may involve a flu-like fever (joint and muscle pain, chills), fatigue, a recent or shifting heart murmur, a pallid complexion, labored breaths, excessive sweating at night, a swollenness on the lower limbs and on the abdomen, a stubborn cough, and a tenderness in the general area of the spleen.
Causes
Endocarditis is obtained when bacteria invades a person’s bloodstream, courses through to the heart, and attach themselves to the valves or injured tissues. Bacteria are the usual reasons for the condition, but fungus and similar microorganisms can also be responsible. These may already be thriving on a person’s mouth and other body parts, such as the respiratory tract, or they may enter the bloodstream through several ways, such as through common activities (by brushing teeth or through eating, particularly if the oral area is in poor condition), a localized infection such as a skin sore, medical conditions like STDs and gastrointestinal disorders, through medical catheters and contaminated surgical needles, through dental procedures, and through operations on the respiratory tract.
Diagnosis
The doctor may gain initial suspicion as based from the patient’s medical record, as well as any evident indications (such as a flu-like fever). With the use of a stethoscope, he may also look for changes in the patient’s heart murmur, a possible indication of endocarditis. Since the symptoms of the infection usually mimic other conditions in its earliest stages, the doctor may order the patient’s blood to be tested and cultured to spot bacteria within the bloodstream. A blood test can also aid the doctor to identify particular conditions like anemia, a scarcity of red blood cells which may be indicative of endocarditis. A transesophageal echocardiogram may also be employed to afford the doctor a closer view of the heart valves. The equipment is an ultrasound device which is introduced through the patient’s mouth and esophagus, checking for signs of growths on infected cardiac tissue.
Treatment Info
A person with endocarditis may require high doses of injected antibiotics during confinement at a medical facility. Blood tests may be done to determine the particular cause of the infection, and an antibiotic treatment will be tailored by the doctor in order to deal with it. The patient may undergo the treatment regimen for up to six weeks before the infection is fully cleared, but once the severe symptoms of endocarditis have been fully overcome, the patient may continue medication as an outpatient procedure. During this time, regular consultations are necessary in order to determine if the treatment course is actually working. If a heart valve is irreparably damaged by an infection, replacement surgery is performed as a necessity.
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