
Dr Ramzi Khamis
Consultant Cardiologist
Specialist expertise: Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, Coronary Artery Disease, Exercise Intolerance, Cardiac CT, Complex Coronary Intervention.
In Greek, “itis” means inflammation. The endocardium is the inner lining of the heart- The myocardium is the muscle, and the epicardium is on the outside of the heart. The Pericardium is on the outside of the heart, not part of the heart itself.
Endocarditis is an inflammation of the lining of the heart and most commonly affects the heart valves, causing them to malfunction.
Endocarditis is rarely caused by drugs or the body reacting to itself (auto-immune disease), but most commonly, it can be due to bacterial or fungal infection. The heart valve can sometimes be normal before the infection, but more commonly, the valve is abnormal and the increased turbulence around the abnormality makes it more prone to getting infection.
Usually problems in the heart that create a large pressure gradient- i.e. between a low pressure chamber and high pressure chamber lead to an increased chance of endocarditis.
There are a number of valve problems that patients have prior to endocarditis including:
Right sided heart problems – much less common and more likely if you have indwelling catheters in the heart (e.g. dialysis) or have used intravenous drugs with dirty needles.
With a bacterial or fungal infection deep in your body several things can happen:
It can sometimes be difficult to diagnose endocarditis however when you are generally unwell and have a known valve problem, the suspicion is high and tests can be carried out to rule it out. Common tests include:
Urine dipsticks – to see if the kidneys are damaged and leaking blood or protein.
Prevention
To reduce your risk of endocarditis consider these:
Treatment
At OneWelbeck Heart Health, we can provide rapid assessment with all the above tests within 24 hours to put your mind at ease.
Our Heart Health specialists at OneWelbeck in London are leaders in their field. They are equipped with the latest diagnostic medical technology at custom-built, day-case facilities to investigate any symptoms and ensure you receive the best available care.