Endocarditis

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Medical Author:

Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI

Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI

Dr. Kulick received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Southern California, School of Medicine. He performed his residency in internal medicine at the Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center and a fellowship in the section of cardiology at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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*Endocarditis facts medical author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

• Endocarditis is an inflammation of the valves of the heart.
• Endocarditis is often caused by the growth of bacteria on one of the heart valves, leading to a mass known as a vegetation.
• Symptoms can be nonspecific and include fever, malaise, shortness of breath, and weakness.
• People with existing diseases of the heart valves and people who have undergone heart valve replacements are at an increased risk of developing endocarditis.
• The most accurate method of detecting the valve vegetations of endocarditis is with a procedure called transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
• The treatment for endocarditis consists of aggressive antibiotics, generally given intravenously, usually for 4 to 6 weeks.
• The duration and intensity of treatment depends on the severity of the infection and the type of bacterial organism responsible.
• In severe cases that damage the heart valves, surgical replacement of the valve may be necessary.