Inflammation of the endocardium, which is lining within the heart’s valves and chambers, is known as endocarditis. Because this condition is serious, with potentially life-threatening health effects, timely treatment is crucial.
With endocarditis, most people develop the condition due to a bacterial or fungal infection. In this case, germs travel through a person’s blood until they make their way to the heart, which can result in an inflammatory immune response. The following risk factors can increase your chances of experiencing endocarditis:
Symptoms of this heart condition include fatigue, aches in the muscles and joints, shortness of breath, and swelling in the lower extremities and/or midsection.
Treating the source of the infection is typically the first course of action with endocarditis. In this case, doctors must first determine the cause of the infection to prescribe the appropriate medication. When endocarditis results from a bacterial infection, antibiotics will be used. Antibiotic regimens usually persist for weeks and may require monitoring in a hospital setting initially.
Doctors can also prescribe antifungal drugs when a fungal infection causes inflammation of the endocardium. In some cases, a patient must remain on an antifungal drug medication permanently to stop endocarditis from recurring. Regardless of the underlying cause, severe damage to the heart may also require surgery, such as the repair or replacement of a heart valve.