Endocarditis

At first, endocarditis symptoms are similar to those associated with the flu. However, you may experience other symptoms, including:

• fever

• chills

• headache

• joint and muscle aches

• chest pain when breathing

• breathlessness

• swollen feet, legs, or abdomen

Most commonly, endocarditis is due to bacterial or fungal infection that enters your heart through your blood. 

Bacteria can enter through your mouth, teeth, and gums. It’s more likely to occur if your teeth and gums are in bad condition. 

It can also happen during dental procedures and other medical procedures that involve an instrument being used inside your body, although the risk is small.

Your heart valves may also play a part. You may still contract the infection if you have normal heart valves. But most cases of endocarditis are in people who have an abnormal valve, which makes their heart more prone to infection.

Several heart valve problems can increase your endocarditis risk, including:

• aortic valve stenosis – a high pressure gradient between the left ventricle and the outflow blood vessel, the aorta

• aortic regurgitation – a leak in the valve means blood flows back through the valve when the aortic pressure is high, and the left ventricle pressure is low

• mitral stenosis – an increased gradient from the left atrium to the left ventricle

• mitral regurgitation – a leak on the mitral valve, meaning that when your heart contracts, the high-pressure jet goes backwards into the left atrium

• ventricular septal defect – a high pressure between the left ventricle and the right ventricle

• right-sided heart problems – this is much less common and more likely if you have indwelling catheters in your heart or have used intravenous drugs with dirty needles

Rarely, the infection is caused by medication or an autoimmune disease.

Your consultant will ask you to talk through your symptoms and share your medical history during an initial consultation.

They’ll also need to run some tests to rule out other conditions and make an accurate diagnosis. These tests may include:

• blood tests

• urine tests

• electrocardiogram (ECG) 

• echocardiogram (echo) 

• chest X-ray

• CT scan

• MRI scan

You can reduce your risk of endocarditis by following these steps:

1. Practising good dental hygiene – many of the bacteria that cause endocarditis come from the mouth, especially if you’re immunosuppressed or have a known valve problem. It’s also advised to get regular dental check-ups.

2. Consider antibiotics prophylaxis (antibiotics that you take as a precaution) for dental procedures if you have an existing valve problem, have had endocarditis, or have a mechanical or tissue artificial valve. 

3. Avoid self-medicating with the injection of drugs, especially using dirty needles.

Endocarditis is a serious infection and can be life-threatening.

Complications from an endocarditis infection that isn’t treated include: 

• heart failure

• vegetations (lumps of inflammation and infection), which can break off and cause stroke, heart attack, or gut and kidney problems

• an abscess in your heart

• septicaemia (an infection that causes you to be very sick, with fever, sweat, and chills)

• kidney failure

Your consultant will let you know what your treatment plan will involve after they make a diagnosis. 

Depending on the severity of the infection, your treatment options may include:

• a 6-week course of antibiotics

• emergency surgery

• planned surgery 

At Welbeck, our cardiologists and electrophysiologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof. 

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.