Infective endocarditis Flashcards
What is endocarditis?
Inflammation of the endocardium
What structures in the heart are especially at risk from infective endocarditis?
Heart valves
What gender is more at risk from infective endocarditis?
Men are twice as likely to get it than women
However, women have a worse prognosis
How does infective endocarditis occur?
Microbial infection of the endocardium, typically on the surface of the valves
What valves are typically infected in IE?
Mitral & aortic
Summarise the main factors that allow someone to get infective endocarditis
Well defined valvular disease (including previous IE)
Prosthetic valves
Congenital heart defects involving valves
IV drug abusers
Immunocompromised
Rheumatic heart disease
What valvular diseases put a patient at risk of getting infective endocarditis?
Mitral valve prolapse (regurgitation)
Aortic stenosis
Even if treated, replacement valves put the patient at risk
What congenital heart defect puts a patient at risk of getting infective endocarditis?
Bicuspid aortic valve (regurgitation)
VSD
What would cause an ‘at risk’ patient to get infective endocarditis?
Bacteraemia often through:
- Surgical/dental procedure
- Open wound
- Intracardiac device
- Injection with needle (IVDA)
- Brushing teeth or gum disease (gingivitis)
What puts some elderly people at risk of getting infective endocarditis?
Degenerative aortic stenosis is common in the elderly
Aortic stenosis is one of the predisposing valvular defects
What microorganism is overall the commonest cause of infective endocarditis?
Strep viridans
What microorganism is the commonest cause of infective endocarditis in IV drug abusers?
Staph aureus
What microorganism is the commonest cause of infective endocarditis in those with prosthetic valve replacements?
Staph epidermis
What microorganism most commonly causes infective endocarditis in those with rheumatic heart disease?
Streptococcus pyogenes
IE caused by IV drug usage differs from other causes of IE. How is this?
IVDA tends to cause infective endocarditis at the tricuspid valve
Normally, the Mitral and Aortic valves tend to be the site of primary infection
Describe the mechanism by which infective endocarditis develops
Firstly, damage to the endocardium exposes underlying collagen & tissue factor
This causes platelet & fibrin adhesion - forming a small thrombus vegetation
This is called nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE)
The vegetation provides an easy attachment point for microorganisms to attach to - allowing mass adhesion and subsequent infection
The formation of NBTE’s on the endocardial surface leads to one of the key signs of infective endocarditis
What sign is this?
Splinter haemorrhages
These form under fingernails, due to small bits of the NBTE breaking off and embolising to the fingers
Where do NBTE’s tend to form?
At the edge of valves where the pressure is lowest due to the VENTURI effect
The low pressure is on the side of the valve facing in the direction of blood flow
What are the causes of endocardial damage that allow an NBTE to form?
Turbulent flow Electrodes Catheters Inflammation (rheumatic endocarditis) Degenerative changes
25% of the time, can occur on normal endothelium though