Complete Information on Endocarditis with Treatment and Prevention

 Endocarditis may be classified by etiology as either infective or non-infective, depending on whether a microorganism is the origin of the trouble. Traditionally, infective endocarditis has been clinically divided into acute and subacute endocarditis. This classifies both the rate of progression and severity of disease. Endocarditis typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in your heart. Endocarditis can be life-threatening. Some surgical and dental procedures cause a brief bacteremia. Bacteria may spread from an infected area, such as a skin sore. Gum disease, a sexually transmitted disease or an intestinal disorder - such as inflammatory bowel disease - also may give bacteria the opportunity to enter your bloodstream.

Endocarditis is rare in folk with robust hearts. Bacteremia is popular after many intrusive procedures, but simply sure bacterium usually induce endocarditis. Thus subacute bacterial endocarditis is frequently payable to streptococci of reduced virulence and balmy to conservative sickness which progresses slowly over weeks and months. Bacteria are the cause of most cases, but fungi or other microorganisms also may be responsible. People at greatest risk of endocarditis have a damaged heart valve, an artificial heart valve or other heart defects. Typically, the immune system destroys bacteria that make it into the bloodstream. Even if bacteria reach at heart, they may pass through without causing an infection. Although endocarditis is a very serious disease, and many people may be at increased risk for developing it, most of these people do not contract it.

The symptoms of endocarditis happen within a few weeks of transmission. Sometimes endocarditis causes crimson, tender spots under the rind of the fingers. These are known as osler's nodes. People who are hospitalized with IV tubes too may be exposed to transmission. In most cases, endocarditis develops slowly. Symptoms tend to appear gradually, usually over a period of several weeks or months. Similar spots may appear in the whites of your eyes or inside your mouth. People with these conditions may need to take preventive antibiotics before certain medical or dental procedures to prevent endocarditis. Men are twice as likely to be affected by endocarditis as women. Endocarditis can occur at any age, but is more common in people aged 50 years and over. The severity of the symptoms will depend on how harmful the bacteria or fungus causing the infection is.

Early treatment can help to avoid complications. High dose antibiotics are administered by the intravenous route to maximize diffusion of antibiotic molecules into vegetation from the blood filling the chambers of the heart. This is necessary because neither the heart valves nor the vegetations adherent to them are supplied by blood vessels. Antibiotics are continued for a long time, typically two to six weeks. Fungal endocarditis requires specific anti-fungal treatment, such as amphotericin B. The most common organism responsible for the majority of infective endocarditis is streptococcus viridans, which is highly sensitive to penicillin. Surgical removal of the valve is necessary in patients who fail to clear micro-organisms from their blood in response to antibiotic therapy, or in patients who develop cardiac failure resulting from destruction of a valve by infection.