endocarditis

Leave a comment Posted on A to Z of Medical Conditions, Cardiovascular disease

Endocarditis – what symptoms do you need to look out for?

Endocarditis

Endocarditis

The symptoms of endocarditis can develop rapidly over the course of a few days (acute endocarditis) or slowly, over the course of a few weeks or possibly months (subacute endocarditis).

Subacute endocarditis is more common in people with congenital heart disease.

Symptoms of endocarditis

The most common symptoms of endocarditis include:

a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above

chills

night sweats

headaches

shortness of breath, especially during physical activity

cough

heart murmurs – where your heart makes a whooshing or swishing noise between beats

tiredness (fatigue)

muscle and joint pain

Other symptoms can include:

the appearance of a spotty red rash on the skin (this is known as petechiae)

narrow, reddish-brown lines of blood that run underneath the nails

painful raised lumps that develop on the fingers and toes

painful red spots that develop on the palms of your hand and soles of your feet

mental confusion

When to seek medical advice

You should contact your GP as soon as possible if you develop any of the above symptoms, particularly if you’re at a higher risk of developing endocarditis, such as having a history of heart disease.

Read more about the causes of endocarditis.

These symptoms are more likely to be caused by a less serious type of infection. However, your doctor will want to investigate.

When to seek emergency medical advice

A stroke is one of the most serious complications that can develop from endocarditis.

If you suspect a stroke, you should dial 999 immediately to request an ambulance.

The most effective way to identify the symptoms of a stroke is to remember the word FAST, which stands for:

Face – the face may have fallen on one side, the person may be unable to smile, or their mouth or eye may have drooped

Arms – the person may be unable to raise both arms and keep them there as a result of weakness or numbness

Speech – the person’s speech may be slurred

Acute
Acute means occurring suddenly or over a short period of time.
Bacteria
Bacteria are tiny, single-celled organisms that live in the body. Some can cause illness and disease and some others are good for you.
Blood
Blood supplies oxygen to the body and removes carbon dioxide. It is pumped around the body by the heart.
Blood vessels
Blood vessels are the tubes in which blood travels to and from parts of the body. The three main types of blood vessels are veins, arteries and capillaries.
Fatigue
Fatigue is extreme tiredness and lack of energy.
Fever
A high temperature, also known as a fever, is when someone’s body temperature goes above the normal 37°C (98.6°F).
Haemorrhage
To haemorrhage means to bleed or lose blood.
Nodules
A nodule is a small growth or lump of tissue.
Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s response to infection, irritation or injury, which causes redness, swelling, pain and sometimes a feeling of heat in the affected area.
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MRSA Infections- Are you concerned about MRSA in hospitals and the community? What is your experience with MRSA?


Welcome to our post looking into the contraction of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) infections.  MRSA is a bacterial infection that is resistant to a number of commonly used

Pills and Medication

Antibiotics

antibiotics. Which means it can be more difficult to treat than some other bacterial infections.

While it is a common bacteria if it breaks through the skin it can be very dangerous – potentially fatal.  This can lead to blood poisoning and endocarditis (which is an infection of the lining of the heart).  Urinary tract infections may also occur.

Since MRSA was discovered in the early sixties it has spread from medical facilities such as hospitals and now can be acquired in community settings as well.   Often called a Superbug because of its resistance to antibiotics it has been a regular topic in the media.

We are interested in finding our more about the experiences of people who have contracted MRSA.  It would be great if you could tell your MRSA story or indeed the story of being a family member of a person who has contracted MRSA.

  • Was the infection caught in a hospital or acquired in the community (often call CA-MRSA)?
  • Did media coverage have any effect of your view of possible infection prior to contracting MRSA?
  • Has enough been done to combat and prevent MRSA in hospitals?  Could healthcare professionals do more?
  • Do you feel that more help should be available to monitor / pre-empt MRSA?
  • Is enough done to prevent/and or treat MRSA infection patients once they have left hospital?

 

That being said we are interested in every aspect of your MRSA story so please feel free to contribute your thoughts.  Also do feel free to make any suggestions as to useful MRSA patient resources and share them with other readers.

Thanks in advance.