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What is bacterial endocarditis?

What is bacterial endocarditis?

Endocarditis occurs when bacteria or other germs enter your bloodstream, travel to your heart, and lodge on abnormal heart valves or damaged heart tissue.

What is a heart infection called?

Bacteria are all around us, and many live on different parts of our body. But if you have heart problems, bacteria in your bloodstream can attach to damaged tissue and cause an infection called endocarditis. The inner lining of your heart and surface of its valves is called the endocardium.

What does heart infection feel like?

General symptoms of a heart infection include chest pain, fever, and shortness of breath. These symptoms can also be present with a life-threatening condition, such as heart attack. Seek immediate medical care if you, or someone you are with, have these symptoms.

Can you fully recover from endocarditis?

In many cases of endocarditis, antibiotics alone can cure the infection. However, in about 25-30 percent of patients with IE, surgery is needed during the early acute phase of infection due to severe valve leakage or failure to control the infection with antibiotics.

How do you know if you have a heart infection?

What are the symptoms of a heart infection?

  1. Chest pain.
  2. Fatigue.
  3. Fever.
  4. Fluid buildup (edema) in the legs, ankles, feet or abdomen.
  5. Joint pain or body aches.
  6. Night sweats.
  7. Rapid heartbeat (arrhythmia) or pounding heartbeat (heart palpitations).
  8. Shortness of breath (dyspnea).

What does a heart infection feel like?

Does endocarditis go away on its own?

Treatment for infective endocarditis begins with an IV of antibiotics in the hospital. After leaving the hospital, most people need long-term antibiotics — about four to six weeks — to kill all the harmful bacteria. In some cases, you may need surgery to replace the infected heart valve if: The infection causes stroke.

What is the most common complication of infective endocarditis?

Congestive heart failure is the most common serious complication of infective endocarditis and is the leading cause of death among patients with this infection.

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