Heart Valve Infections

A heart valve infection is also known as endocarditis, which can refer to an infection of the heart valve, the heart muscle or the lining of the heart. If you do not treat your infection as soon as possible, you will risk damaging your heart and suffering other life-threatening complications.

Causes

• Germs that enter the bloodstream and latch onto the heart valves are the cause of heart valve infections. This can occur due to contaminated needles, catheters, dental procedures that may cut the gums, a regular infection, a disease like inflammatory bowel disease and even activities such as chewing food and brushing the teeth.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of a heart valve infection may include fever, chills, fatigue, night sweats, joint pain, persistent cough, shortness of breath, unusual weight loss, blood in the urine, tender spots in your fingers, red or purple spots on your skin, eyes or mouth, and swelling in your legs.

Diagnosis

• To diagnose a heart valve infection, your doctor may run a blood test, an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram, a chest x-ray, an MRI scan or a CT scan.

Treatment

• According to the Mayo Clinic, the usual treatment for a heart valve infection is antibiotics, which may be given via an IV.

Surgery

• If your heart has sustained damage, you may need surgery to either repair or replace the valve. If your condition is caused by a fungal infection, you may need surgery to eradicate the infection.