Endocarditis. Symptoms in adults, diagnosis and treatment

Endocarditis in adults is rare, but the pathology is very dangerous. Consultation of a therapist or immediately a cardiologist is required. A comprehensive examination will help to establish an accurate diagnosis. The causative agents of the inflammatory process fall into heart tissue through blood. An infection in the human body is a common cause. The disease is accompanied by severe symptoms and requires compulsory treatment. Otherwise, the risk of complications increases.

general information

Endocarditis is an inflammatory disease that affects the inner tissues of the heart. In most cases, pathological processes are the result of infection. Rarely, the disease occurs against the background of other disorders. Pathological processes are always accompanied by pronounced signs, which are important to pay attention to and immediately go to the hospital to see a therapist.

Endocarditis classification

In medicine, endocarditis is classified into the following main types:

Name	Description
Subacute	The disease progresses slowly and manifests itself with mild symptoms. Pathological processes provoke streptococci. Disease-causing bacteria cause dental or gastrointestinal pathologies. The same goes for genitourinary infections.
Spicy	An aggressive form of endocarditis that develops quickly, within a few days. In most cases, pathological processes are provoked by Staphylococcus aureus. Without timely therapy, the risk of complications, including death, increases.
Non-infectious	Pathological processes often develop against the background of general weakness in the body as a result of certain changes. The same goes for severe poisoning.
Rheumatic endocarditis	The cause of the inflammatory process is rheumatism, against the background of which heart disease develops in the future. First of all, the connective tissue of the valves, tendon chords, and parietal endocardium are affected.
Leffer's endocarditis	A pathological condition in which the heart chambers thicken or narrow. Heart failure is a complication of the disease.

In 85% of cases, patients are diagnosed with infective endocarditis, in which the entire inner lining of the heart is affected. The pathological condition is accompanied by pronounced clinical symptoms, including acute toxicosis, blockage of blood vessels.

Endocarditis causes

Endocarditis in adults occurs more often against the background of other diseases, rarely the pathology appears on its own. Inflammation is diagnosed in the same way in men and women.

The provoking factors are the following reasons:

• trauma;
• allergic reaction;
• infectious lesion of the human body;
• severe intoxication;
• connective tissue damage;
• congenital heart disease;
• installed central or peripheral venous catheters;
• bad habits, in particular, it concerns drug addiction, when a person injects substances through a vein;
• installed artificial valves or other devices inside the heart;
• weak immunity.

In most cases, patients are diagnosed with endocarditis, the causative agents of which are streptococci. Comprehensive diagnostics will help to establish an accurate diagnosis. Based on the results of the examination, the cardiologist will also select the most effective therapy regimen for the patient.

Symptoms

Symptoms of endocarditis in adults are manifested depending on the degree of damage to the internal tissues of the heart. Clinical signs will also help the doctor determine the type of disease and the spread of the inflammatory process. Patients should not ignore the first symptoms, it is important to immediately consult a physician therapist.

Manifestations of endocarditis in adults:

• body temperature rises;
• chills appear;
• sweating increases, especially at night;
• worried about headaches;
• shortness of breath appears;
• worried about cough;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• the shape of the nails changes;
• arthritis of large joints develops;
• the skin turns pale;
• signs of intoxication appear (general weakness in the body, dizziness);
• there is pain in the muscles and joints;
• a person gets tired quickly, even after little physical activity;
• heartbeats are accompanied by hissing or whistling sounds;
• swelling of the legs, ankles;
• decreases in body weight for no apparent reason;
• red spots appear on the body.

In some situations, painful bumps appear on the fingers and toes, the patient's consciousness is impaired. When the first signs of a pathological condition appear, it is important to immediately visit a therapist or cardiologist.

Complications

Consequences and complications against the background of endocarditis in a patient appear in the absence of timely and correctly selected therapy. Even after successful treatment, there is a risk of complications, which the attending physician warns the person about. It is important to adhere to simple preventive recommendations during the recovery period.

Complications of endocarditis:

Name	Description
Chronic heart failure	The disease often accompanies other pathological processes. It is characterized by impaired heart function. The organ is not able to fully pump blood. In most cases, valve malfunction is the main cause.
Thromboembolism	A pathological condition characterized by blockage of a blood vessel by a thrombus. In most cases, thromboembolism is fatal.
Sepsis	A long-term infectious process in the tissues of the myocardium is accompanied by the active reproduction of pathogenic bacteria. For this reason, the infection can spread through the blood throughout the body, against the background of which other concomitant diseases develop.

Complications with endocarditis can be prevented if you undergo an examination in a timely manner and start treatment under the supervision of a specialized specialist. Otherwise, the disease will lead to serious consequences, up to the death of a person.

Diagnostics

A comprehensive examination of the patient is prescribed by a general practitioner or cardiologist after a visual examination and taking into account the person's complaints. It is important to differentiate the disease, since many pathologies are accompanied by similar clinical symptoms.

Endocarditis (symptoms in adults depend on the stage and degree of development of pathological processes) help diagnose the following testing methods:

Name	Description
General and biochemical blood test	Blood parameters during the development of the inflammatory process change dramatically. There is anemia, leukocytosis.
Electrocardiography (ECG)	The most informative research method that helps to assess the work of the heart, to identify pathological changes.
Echocardiography	The examination is carried out in order to view the structures of the heart tissue, to identify the formation of blood clots, and to evaluate the functioning of the valves.
X-ray	A diagnostic method by which a specialist examines blood circulation, heart, revealing its increase.
Ultrasound examination (ultrasound)	The most informative examination methods that help the specialist to determine the complications present, often occurring against the background of prolonged inflammation of the myocardial tissue. The area of ​​localization of pathological processes, the degree of their spread is established with high accuracy.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Computed tomography (CT)

The results of a medical examination are important not only for making an accurate diagnosis. The information received determines the therapy regimen, which the specialized doctor draws up individually for each patient. If necessary, the patient may additionally need advice from other specialized doctors (infectious disease specialist, rheumatologist).

Treatment

Endocarditis (symptoms in adults require careful diagnosis and properly selected therapy) is treated with complex methods. The therapy regimen depends on the type of disease, the diagnostic results obtained and the patient's accompanying complaints. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the appointments in order to prevent complications.

Drug therapy

Medicines are selected for the patient taking into account the provoking factor, against which the person has developed an inflammatory process. Medicines have certain contraindications and provoke side effects, so it is important to strictly adhere to the established dosages.

Drug group	Name	Application
Antibacterial drugs	Ampicillin, Ceftriaxone	Medicines are prescribed to patients if pathogenic bacteria have become the cause of the inflammatory process. The amount of the drug is selected individually, depending on the condition of the person. The recommended dosage for adults is 250-500 mg 4 times a day. The duration of treatment is 1-2 weeks.
Antifungal drugs	Amikacin, Flucytosine	Medicines are prescribed if fungi are the causative agents of the inflammatory process. The drug is administered intravenously through a dropper or intramuscularly. The adult dosage is 5 mg / kg every 8 hours. The course of treatment lasts 3-10 days.
Glucocorticosteroids	Prednisolone, Betamethasone	The drugs help reduce inflammation. The daily dosage of the drug for adult patients is 4-6 tablets. It should be divided into 2-3 doses.
Antiplatelet agents	Cardioxipin, Alprostadil	Medicines improve blood circulation, prevent blood clots. During the period of exacerbation, the drug is administered intravenously by drop infusion of 20-30 ml 1-3 times a day. The treatment lasts 5-15 days.
Beta-blockers	Carvenal, Vasokardin	The drugs prevent the development of heart failure and improve microcirculation. The tablets are swallowed whole, washed down with a small amount of liquid. Adult patients are prescribed 12.5 mg 1 time per day for the first 2 days. Then the dosage is increased to 25 mg per day. If necessary, the dosage of the drug is increased every 2 weeks.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors	Captopril, Lotenzin	Medicines lower blood pressure and proteinuria. For adult patients, the dosage of the drug is selected from 25 to 150 mg 3 times a day.
Aldosterone antagonists	Veroshpiron, Aldactone	The medicine is taken orally at 10-20 mg 4 times a day with a little water.
Cardiac glycosides	Digoxin, Adonisid	Medicines contain natural ingredients that help restore heart function. The tablets are swallowed whole, not chewed and washed down with a sufficient amount of water. For a quick therapeutic effect, patients are prescribed 0.5-1 g every 6 hours. The maintenance dosage is 0.5 mg 1-2 times a day. The course of therapy lasts at least 1 week.
Diuretics	Furosemide, Diakarb	Medicines have a diuretic effect, remove excess fluid from the human body. The tablets are taken orally and washed down with a sufficient amount of liquid. The recommended dosage for adult patients depends on the person's condition and is 0.5-4 tablets 2 times a day.

After an accurate diagnosis has been made, the patient is hospitalized. In a hospital setting, a cardiologist not only conducts treatment, but also monitors the patient's condition. If the dynamics are positive, the person is sent home. In this case, the patient must strictly adhere to all the recommendations and prescriptions of the attending physician.

Folk remedies

Endocarditis (symptoms in adult patients will help the cardiologist determine the degree of heart damage) requires complex therapy. Together with traditional medicines, if there are no medical contraindications, non-traditional methods of healers and healers can be used. Each recipe should be discussed with a specialized doctor, since even the safest natural ingredients can provoke an allergic reaction or individual sensitivity.

Name	Recipe	Application
Herbal collection	Mix 60 g of medicinal St. John's wort, 40 g of buckwheat flowers and 40 g of motherwort. Grind all components well and pour 3 tbsp. l. herbal collection with boiling water (1 l). Put the resulting mixture over medium heat and heat for another 2 minutes. Cool the broth for 2 hours and strain.	The resulting medicine must be drunk in small sips throughout the day. The course of treatment lasts 3 months.
Celandine	Dry leaves of the plant (0.5 tsp. l.) pour boiling water (200 ml). Insist 30 minutes. and strain well.	The finished medicine should be drunk throughout the day. The duration of therapy is 30 days.
Adonis	Pour high-quality vodka (1 tbsp.) 4 tbsp. l. dry grass. Leave for 2 weeks at room temperature.	Tincture of adonis is recommended to be taken orally 20-30 drops every day 3 times. The medicine can be taken with water or pre-diluted.

Folk remedies for endocarditis should be used in complex therapy, it is impossible to get rid of pathology with the help of healers and healers alone. Medicinal herbs reduce the heart rate, while improving the contractility of the heart muscle.

Diet

Endocarditis (symptoms in adults depend on the type of pathology and the degree of damage to the tissues of the heart) in complex therapy involves the use of various methods. Special nutrition is one of the important points in the treatment regimen for any heart disease. This also applies to endocarditis. A dietary diet will help reduce the load on the heart and prevent the development of atherosclerosis.

Featured Products	Prohibited foods
Fatty fish; milk products; seafood; fruits, berries and vegetables, herbs; cereals, cereals; unrefined oil; sprouted wheat grains; natural honey with dried apricots and nuts; vegetarian meals.	Spicy, fatty and smoked foods; alcoholic drinks; fast food; meat and mushroom broth; rich pastries; strong coffee and tea; confectionery; sweet carbonated drinks; alcohol.

Patients are also advised to reduce their intake of table salt, which retains excess fluid in the human body. This is one of the causes of high blood pressure.

Operation

Surgical treatment of endocarditis is indicated in severe or emergency situations. The method of performing the surgical intervention is chosen by the surgeon, taking into account the patient's condition and the established diagnosis.

The main indications for the operation:

• lack of a positive result after drug therapy;
• progressive heart failure, which does not help to stop drugs;
• increased risk of thromboembolism;
• bacterial endocarditis in people with a mechanical heart valve;
• accumulation of a large amount of pus in the tissues of the myocardium.

Surgery is also indicated for patients in case of serious complications.

Forecast

The prognosis for endocarditis is not favorable enough. A patient can be completely cured if he goes to the hospital in a timely manner and undergoes treatment. In any situation, there is a risk of secondary relapse of the disease. Therefore, after therapy, all patients are advised to undergo periodic preventive examinations without fail.

Endocarditis is a serious condition that cannot be left without medical attention. The first symptoms in adults will help to identify violations in a timely manner and consult a cardiologist. A comprehensive examination will determine the degree and stage of development of pathological processes, and also choose the most effective treatment. In the absence of therapy, a person risks facing serious consequences, up to and including death.

Endocarditis video

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