{"id":1708,"date":"2020-08-24T13:30:34","date_gmt":"2020-08-24T13:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blog.kayawell.com\/?p=1708"},"modified":"2026-01-08T06:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T06:08:15","slug":"endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention","title":{"rendered":"Endocarditis- Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factors and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\r\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\r\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\r\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\r\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#What_is_Endocarditis\" title=\"What is Endocarditis?\">What is Endocarditis?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#What_are_the_symptoms_of_endocarditis\" title=\"What are the symptoms of endocarditis?\">What are the symptoms of endocarditis?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#When_to_seek_medical_attention\" title=\"When to seek medical attention\">When to seek medical attention<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#Causes_of_Endocarditis\" title=\"Causes of Endocarditis\">Causes of Endocarditis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#Risk_factors\" title=\"Risk factors\">Risk factors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#Complications_of_Endocarditis\" title=\"Complications of Endocarditis\">Complications of Endocarditis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/endocarditis-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#Prevention\" title=\"Prevention\">Prevention<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Endocarditis\"><\/span>What is Endocarditis?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The endocardium is the heart&#8217;s inner lining. Endocarditis is\nan inflammation of the inner lining. Endocarditis typically occurs when\nbacteria, fungi, or other germs from the atmosphere or other areas of the body,\nsuch as your mouth, spread into your bloodstream and bind to heart valves.\nEndocarditis may weaken or kill your heart valves and contribute to\nlife-threatening complications if not treated quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_symptoms_of_endocarditis\"><\/span>What are the symptoms of endocarditis?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Endocarditis symptoms can be difficult to detect and vague\nand can develop gradually over weeks or months. However, in some cases, they\ncan develop abruptly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common Endocarditis signs are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Symptoms similar to flu \u00e2\u20ac\u201c these include\ntemperature, fatigue, headaches, chills, cough, and sore throat.<\/li><li>Unreported weight loss<\/li><li>Pale skin<\/li><li>Muscles and joints sore<\/li><li>Heart murmurings (an abnormal sound of the\nheart). <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When you have been advised you are at high risk of\ndeveloping endocarditis and you have more than a week of flu-like symptoms and\na high temperature, see your doctor right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_to_seek_medical_attention\"><\/span>When to seek medical attention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Call your provider if you notice the following symptoms\nduring or after treatment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Blood in urine<\/li><li>Chest pain<\/li><li>Fatigue<\/li><li>Fever that doesn&#8217;t go away<\/li><li>Fever<\/li><li>Numbness<\/li><li>Weakness<\/li><li>Weight loss without a change in diet<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Causes_of_Endocarditis\"><\/span>Causes of Endocarditis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most endocarditis is caused by bacteria that enter the\nbloodstream, but some cases may be caused by fungi or other micro-organisms.\nThe germs pass across the bloodstream and bind to defective heart valves or other\ndamaged heart tissue, leading to inflammation afterwards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In most cases, the immune system kills any infection\nentering the bloodstream before it can travel to the heart. Nevertheless, it\ncan also enter the heart of certain cases, and cause endocarditis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a variety of ways Germs can penetrate the\nbloodstream including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Eating or drinking. <\/li><li>Brushing your teeth or other oral activities\nthat could cause your gums to bleed. <\/li><li>An infection or other medical condition,\nincluding sores on the skin, gum disease, sexually transmitted infections, and\nothers. <\/li><li>Catheters, a thin tube used in certain medical\nprocedures. This is more common if the catheter is in place for a long period. <\/li><li>Tattoos and piercings.<\/li><li>Intravenous illegal drug use with a contaminated\nneedle.<\/li><li>Certain dental procedures that involve cutting\nyour gums.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Risk_factors\"><\/span>Risk factors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An individual may have a greater risk of developing\nendocarditis if: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>have a known heart disorder or disease <\/li><li>have had heart bypass surgery or received an\nartificial heart valve <\/li><li>You developed a heart valve disease such as\nrheumatic fever. <\/li><li>Was issued a pacemaker<\/li><li>Have obtained medications intravenously\nroutinely<\/li><li>Is convalescent after a severe bacterial\nillness, such as meningitis or pneumonia <\/li><li>Having a chronically suppressed immune system,\nfor example, due to diabetes or Aids, or whether they have cancer or are\nundergoing chemotherapy <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Our heart valves degenerate as people age increase, raising\nthe risk of endocarditis<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Complications_of_Endocarditis\"><\/span>Complications of Endocarditis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Endocarditis may cause blood cell clumps and bacteria to\ndevelop within your heart&#8217;s blood vessels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These clumps, called vegetations, can break off and make of\nclots of blood. These can migrate to other areas of the body where new\ninfections can develop, or block blood flow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have endocarditis symptoms it is important to get in\ncontact with your doctor right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The sooner you can undergo antibiotic therapy, the less\nlikely you are to experience severe complications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Complications include endocarditis:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Meningitis or other brain infections<\/li><li>Strokes or seizures<\/li><li>Pulmonary embolism (sudden blockage of blood\nflow to the lungs)<\/li><li>Pneumonia<\/li><li>Damage to kidneys or spleen<\/li><li>Cardiac issues (heart murmur, heart failure,\nheart valve injury, heart attack, irregular heartbeat)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prevention\"><\/span>Prevention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can help in many ways to avoid endocarditis including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Learn signs of endocarditis and its symptoms;\nWhen you experience any signs or symptoms, particularly a fever that won&#8217;t go\naway, unexplained weakness, some sort of skin infection, or open cuts or sores\nthat don&#8217;t heal properly see your doctor immediately.<\/li><li>Pay special attention to your dental health \u00e2\u20ac\u201d\nbrush and floss your teeth and gums regularly, and do daily dental tests. <\/li><li>Avoid skin infection procedures, such as body\npiercings or tattoos.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Endocarditis? The endocardium is the heart&#8217;s inner lining. Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner lining. Endocarditis typically occurs when bacteria, fungi, or other germs from the atmosphere or other areas of the body, such as your mouth, spread into your bloodstream and bind to heart valves. Endocarditis may weaken or kill your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[578],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dental-treatment-and-disease"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1708"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1708\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}