What are the classic signs and symptoms of endocarditis?

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Common signs and symptoms of endocarditis include:

Aching joints and muscles.
Chest pain when you breathe.
Fatigue.
Flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills.
Night sweats.
Shortness of breath.
Swelling in your feet, legs or abdomen.

What is valvular endocarditis?

Bacterial endocarditis is a bacterial infection of the inner layer of the heart or the heart valves. The heart has 4 valves. These valves help the blood flow through the heart and lungs and out to the body. When a person has bacterial endocarditis, these valves may not work correctly.

How do you detect endocarditis?

Blood culture test. A blood culture test is used to identify any germs in your bloodstream.
Complete blood count.
Echocardiogram.
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
Chest X-ray.
Computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

What is the most common valve affected by endocarditis?

Infective endocarditis develops most commonly on the mitral valve, closely followed in descending order of frequency by the aortic valve, the combined mitral and aortic valve, the tricuspid valve, and, rarely, the pulmonic valve. Mechanical prosthetic and bioprosthetic valves exhibit equal rates of infection.

When should you suspect endocarditis?

Endocarditis should be suspected in any patient with unexplained fevers, night sweats, or signs of systemic illness, particularly if any of the following risk factors are present1: a prosthetic heart valve, structural or congenital heart disease, intravenous drug use, and a recent history of invasive procedures (e.g..

How quickly does endocarditis develop?

Symptoms usually begin within two weeks following the procedure, but diagnosis is often delayed because symptoms are subtle and patients may not seek care immediately and because diagnosis can be difficult, especially early in the disease course.

Is endocarditis hard to diagnose?

Endocarditis is difficult to diagnose. Symptoms may vary in severity, depending on the type of bacteria or fungi causing the infection. Patients with underlying heart problems tend to have more severe symptoms.

Can you have endocarditis without fever?

Isolated mitral posteromedial papillary endocarditis is a rare entity and highlights that even without fever, murmurs, or constitutional symptoms, severe multisystem infections from endocarditis can occur.

Do you always have a fever with endocarditis?

Most patients with infective endocarditis (IE) manifest fever. Comparison of endocarditis patients with and without fever, and whether the lack of fever in IE is a marker for poorer outcomes, such as demonstrated in other severe infectious diseases, have not been defined.

Does endocarditis always have fever?

Acute bacterial endocarditis usually begins suddenly with a high fever, fast heart rate, fatigue, and rapid and extensive heart valve damage. Subacute bacterial endocarditis gradually causes such symptoms as fatigue, mild fever, a moderately fast heart rate, weight loss, sweating, and a low red blood cell count.

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.

Can a tooth infection cause endocarditis?

A dental problem or procedure that results in an infection can trigger it. Poor health in the teeth or gums increases the risk of endocarditis, as this makes it easier for the bacteria to get in.

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