Acute and subacute endocarditis
Endocarditis is a serious infection of the heart's inner lining or valves, typically caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream.
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Your heart is lined with a smooth layer called the endocardium, and it contains valves that act like doors to keep blood moving in the right direction. Endocarditis happens when germs, usually bacteria, travel through your blood and attach to these heart valves or the lining of your heart chambers.
These germs can grow into small clumps called vegetations, which are growths made of bacteria and blood cells. This condition is dangerous because it can damage your heart valves, making it difficult for your heart to pump blood effectively to the rest of your body.
Common Symptoms
- Fever and chills that keep coming back.
- Night sweats.
- A new or changing heart murmur, which is an unusual "whooshing" sound heard when a doctor listens to your heart.
- Unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite.
- Tiny red or purple spots on your skin, under your fingernails, or in the whites of your eyes.
- Feeling very tired or weak.