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Endocarditis

• Overview
• Symptoms
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• Prevention

Definition:

Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium).

Alternative Names:

Valve infection

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Endocarditis can involve the heart muscle, heart valves, or lining of the heart. Most people who develop endocarditis have underlying valvular heart disease .

Injection drug use, recent dental surgery, permanent central venous access lines, prior valve surgery, and weakened valves are risk factors for developing endocarditis.

Bacterial infection is the most common source of endocarditis. However, it can also be caused by fungi. In some cases, no causative organism can be identified.

Related topics:

• culture-negative endocarditis
• infective endocarditis

• Review Date: 2/13/2006
• Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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