Overview
Endocarditis is an infection of the endocardium, which is the inner lining of your heart chambers and heart valves.

Endocarditis generally occurs when bacteria, fungi 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. If it's not treated quickly, endocarditis can damage or destroy your heart valves and can lead to life-threatening complications. Treatments for endocarditis include antibiotics and, in certain cases, surgery.

Since there are many ways to develop endocarditis, your doctor might not be able to pinpoint the exact cause of your condition. However, people at greatest risk of endocarditis usually have damaged heart valves, artificial heart valves or other heart defects.

Symptoms
Endocarditis may develop slowly or suddenly, depending on what germs are causing the infection and whether you have any underlying heart problems. Endocarditis signs and symptoms can vary from person to person.

Common signs and symptoms of endocarditis include:

Flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills
A new or changed heart murmur, which is the heart sounds made by blood rushing through your heart
Fatigue
Aching joints and muscles
Night sweats
Shortness of breath
Chest pain when you breathe
Swelling in your feet, legs or abdomen
Endocarditis can also cause symptoms that are more uncommon. These include:

Unexplained weight loss
Blood in your urine, which you might be able to see or that your doctor might see when he or she views your urine under a microscope
Tenderness in your spleen, which is an infection-fighting abdominal organ just below your rib cage on the left side of your body
Janeway lesions, which are red spots on the soles of your feet or the palms of your hands
Osler's nodes, which are red, tender spots under the skin of your fingers or toes
Petechiae (puh-TEE-key-e), which are tiny purple or red spots on the skin, whites of your eyes, or inside your mouth
When to see a doctor
If you develop signs or symptoms of endocarditis, and if they don't go away, see your doctor as soon as possible — especially if you have risk factors for this serious infection, such as a heart defect or a previous case of endocarditis.

Although less serious conditions can cause similar signs and symptoms, you won't know for sure until you're evaluated by your doctor.

Causes
Endocarditis occurs when germs enter your bloodstream, travel to your heart, and attach to abnormal heart valves or damaged heart tissue. Certain types of bacteria cause most cases, but fungi or other microorganisms also may be responsible.

Usually, your immune system destroys harmful bacteria that make it into your bloodstream. Even if bacteria reach your heart, they may pass through without causing an infection. However, bacteria that live in your mouth, throat or other parts of your body, such as your skin or your gut, can sometimes cause serious infections like endocarditis under the right circumstances.

Bacteria, fungi or other germs that cause endocarditis might enter your bloodstream through:

Everyday oral activities. Activities such as brushing your teeth, or other activities that could cause your gums to bleed, can allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream — especially if you don't floss or your teeth and gums aren't healthy.
An infection or other medical condition. Bacteria may spread from an infected area, such as a skin sore. Other medical conditions, such as gum disease, a sexually transmitted infection or certain intestinal disorders — such as inflammatory bowel disease — can also give bacteria the opportunity to enter your bloodstream.
Catheters. Bacteria can enter your body through a catheter — a thin tube that doctors sometimes use to inject or remove fluid from the body. This is more likely to occur if the catheter is in place for a long period of time.
Needles used for tattoos and body piercing. The bacteria that can cause endocarditis can also enter your bloodstream through the needles used for tattooing or body piercing.
Intravenous (IV) illegal drug use. Contaminated needles and syringes are a special concern for people who use illegal intravenous (IV) drugs, such as heroin or cocaine. Often, individuals who use these types of drugs don't have access to clean, unused needles or syringes.
Certain dental procedures. Some dental procedures that can cut your gums may allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream.
Bacteria can more easily attach to the lining of your heart (endocardium), if the lining's surface is rough. You're also more likely to develop endocarditis if you have faulty, diseased or damaged heart valves. However, endocarditis does occasionally occur in previously healthy individuals.

Risk factors
If your heart is healthy, you could be less likely to develop endocarditis, although it is still possible. The germs that cause infection tend to stick to and multiply on damaged or surgically implanted heart valves, or on endocardium that has a rough surface.

People at highest risk of endocarditis are those who have:

Artificial heart valves. Germs are more likely to attach to an artificial (prosthetic) heart valve than to a normal heart valve.
Congenital heart defects. If you were born with certain types of heart defects, such as an irregular heart or abnormal heart valves, your heart may be more susceptible to infection.
A history of endocarditis. Endocarditis can damage heart tissue and valves, increasing the risk of a future heart infection.
Damaged heart valves. Certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic fever or infection, can damage or scar one or more of your heart valves. This can make them more prone to endocarditis.
A history of intravenous (IV) illegal drug use. People who use illegal drugs by injecting them are at a greater risk of endocarditis. The needles used to inject drugs can be contaminated with the bacteria that can cause endocarditis.
Complications
In endocarditis, clumps of bacteria and cell fragments form in your heart at the site of the infection. These clumps, called vegetations, can break loose and travel to your brain, lungs, abdominal organs, kidneys or limbs. As a result, endocarditis can cause several major complications, including:

Heart problems, such as heart murmur, heart valve damage and heart failure
Stroke
Seizure
Loss of the ability to move part of all of your body (paralysis)
Pockets of collected pus (abscesses) that develop in the heart, brain, lungs and other organs
Pulmonary embolism — an infected vegetation that travels to the lungs and blocks a lung artery
Kidney damage
Enlarged spleen
Prevention
You can help prevent endocarditis in several ways, including:

Know the signs and symptoms of endocarditis. See your doctor immediately if you develop any signs or symptoms, especially a fever that won't go away, unexplained fatigue, any type of skin infection, or open cuts or sores that don't heal properly.
Pay special attention to your dental health — brush and floss your teeth and gums often, and have regular dental checkups.
Avoid procedures that may lead to skin infections, such as body piercings or tattoos.
Preventive antibiotics
Certain dental and medical procedures may allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. For some people with heart disease or damaged or diseased heart valves, taking antibiotics before these procedures can help destroy or control the harmful bacteria that may lead to endocarditis. This is because these people are more at risk of developing endocarditis after having these procedures.

In the past, doctors gave antibiotics to many people before dental or other surgical procedures, such as procedures involving the intestinal or urinary tracts, even if they weren't at high risk of developing endocarditis. However, antibiotics are no longer recommended before all dental or other surgical procedures, or for all people. As doctors have learned more about endocarditis prevention, they've realized endocarditis is much more likely to occur from exposure to random germs than from a standard dental exam or surgery.

If you're at risk of endocarditis, let your doctor and dentist know before having any dental work. They will decide whether you need antibiotics before any dental procedures.

It's still important to take good care of your teeth through brushing and flossing, since doctors have some concern that infections in your mouth from poor oral hygiene might increase the risk of germs entering your bloodstream. In addition to brushing and flossing, regular dental exams are an important part of maintaining good oral health.

एंडोकार्डिटिस:

एंडोकार्डिटिस ही एक दुर्मिळ अवस्था आहे ज्यामध्ये हृदयाच्या अस्तर, हृदयाच्या स्नायू आणि हृदयाच्या वाल्वचा असतो.
याला संसर्गजन्य एन्डोकार्डिटिस (आयई), बॅक्टीरियल एंडोकार्डिटिस (बीई), संक्रामक एंडोकार्डिटिस आणि फंगल एंडोकार्डिटिस देखील म्हणतात.
एंडोकार्डियमच्या संसर्गामुळे एंडोकार्डिटिस होतो. हा संसर्ग सामान्यतः स्ट्रेप्टोकोकल किंवा स्टॅफिलोकोकल बॅक्टेरियामुळे होतो. क्वचितच, हे फंगी किंवा इतर संक्रामक सूक्ष्मजीवांमुळे होऊ शकते.

उपचार
उपचारांचा मुख्य मार्ग म्हणजे एंटीबायोटिक्स परंतु कधीकधी शस्त्रक्रिया आवश्यक असते.

अँटीबायोटिक्स
एंडोकार्डिटिस असलेल्या बहुतेक रुग्णांना अँटीबायोटिक्स मिळतील. हे ट्रायपेटद्वारे अनाकलनीयपणे दिले जाईल, म्हणून रुग्णाला रुग्णालयात राहू द्यावे लागेल. नियमित रक्त तपासणी औषधाच्या प्रभावीतेचे परीक्षण करेल. सामान्यत: त्यांचे तापमान सामान्य होते तेव्हा रुग्ण घरी जाऊ शकतात आणि लक्षणे कमी झालेली असतात. उपचार प्रभावी आहे याची खात्री करण्यासाठी रुग्णास त्यांच्या डॉक्टरांच्या संपर्कात राहावे. सर्वात सामान्यपणे वापरल्या जाणार्या अँटीबायोटिक्स पेनिसिलिन आणि न्युनामायसीन असतात. पेनिसिलिनला ऍलर्जी असलेल्या रुग्णांना वैंकोमायसीन दिले जाऊ शकते. एन्टीबायोटिक उपचार साधारणपणे 2 ते 6 आठवड्यांपर्यंत टिकतात, इतर गोष्टींबरोबरच संसर्गाची तीव्रता यावर अवलंबून असते.

शस्त्रक्रिया
जर एंडोकार्डिटिसने हृदयाचे नुकसान केले असेल तर शस्त्रक्रिया आवश्यक असू शकते.

शस्त्रक्रिया करण्याची शिफारस केलेली असल्यास:

- हृदयाचे वाल्वचे इतके नुकसान झाले आहे की ते पुरेसे बंद होत नाही आणि रेगर्जिटेशन येते, जिथे रक्त हृदयात परत जाते
- संक्रमण सुरू आहे कारण रुग्ण अँटीबायोटिक किंवा एंटिफंगल औषधाला प्रतिसाद देत नाही
- जीवाणू आणि पेशी, किंवा हृदय वाल्व संलग्न आहेत
- शस्त्रक्रिया हृदयरोग किंवा क्षतिग्रस्त हृदयाच्या वाल्व सुधारू शकते, त्यांना कृत्रिम पदार्थांद्वारे पुनर्स्थित करू शकते किंवा हृदयाच्या स्नायूमध्ये विकसित होणा-या फोडांना काढून टाकू शकते.

कारणे

एन्डोकर्डिटिस तेव्हा होऊ शकते जेव्हा बॅक्टेरिया किंवा फुफ्फुस शरीराच्या संसर्गामुळे शरीरात प्रवेश करतात किंवा सामान्यतः हानीकारक जीवाणू जे तोंडात राहतात, श्वसनमार्गाचा किंवा शरीराच्या इतर भाग हृदयाच्या ऊतीवर हल्ला करतात.

सामान्यतः, प्रतिरक्षा प्रणाली ही अवांछित सूक्ष्मजीव नष्ट करु शकते परंतु हृदयाच्या वाल्वचे कोणतेही नुकसान त्यांना हृदयाशी जोडण्यास परवानगी देऊ शकते.

जीवाणू आणि पेशी हळूहळू हृदय वाल्व तयार होतात. हे हृदय योग्यरित्या कार्य करणे कठीण करते.

ते वाल्व आणि हृदयाच्या स्नायूवर नुकसान, आणि विद्युत वाहनात असामान्यता कारणीभूत ठरू शकतात.

लक्षणे समाविष्ट असू शकतात:

- लक्षणेंमध्ये ताप, छातीत दुखणे आणि थकवा समाविष्ट असतो.
- उच्च तापमान किंवा ताप
- स्नायू वेदना
- बोटांची नखे अंतर्गत रक्तस्त्राव
- डोळे किंवा त्वचा मध्ये तुटलेली रक्त वाहने
- छाती दुखणे
- खोकला
- डोकेदुखी
- श्वासोच्छवासाची कोंड, किंवा वेदना
- रात्री घाम येणे, घाम येणे
- ओटीपोटात सूज येणे
- मूत्रामध्ये रक्त
- कमजोरी, थकवा
- अनपेक्षित वजन कमी होणे