Endocarditis Center - Pittsfield, MA
Pittsfield Cardiologist Doctors for EndocarditisType of Physician: Cardiologist What is a Cardiologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners are expert in diseases of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. They consult with surgeons on heart surgery, perform diagnostic procedures, and manage complex conditions such as heart attacks and arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat). Specialty: Cardiology Common Name: Heart Doctor Cardiologist Doctors in Pittsfield * Berkshire Care  Berkshire Heart Associates  Berkshire Heart Associates  Fairview Hospital  Douglas V Herr MD  Northhampton Cardiology Associates PC  Northhampton Cardiology Associates PC  Northhampton Cardiology Associates PC  Northhampton Cardiology Associates PC  Northhampton Cardiology Associates PC  Northhampton Cardiology Associates PC  Westfield Cardiology LLC  Westfield Cardiology LLC  Mark A Casey MD  Cardiovascular Associates  Hampden County Cardiovascular Associates  Hampden County Cardiovascular Associates  Hampden County Cardiovascular Associates  Hampden County Cardiovascular Associates  Hampden County Cardiovascular Associates  Hampden County Cardiovascular Associates  Dhirendra Mohan MD  Holyoke Associates In Internal Medicine Inc  Franklin County Cardiovascular Associates  Kimat G Khatak MD  Abdul Khadra MD  Franklyn H Carrington MD PC  Joan W Lisak MD  Pioneer Valley Cardiology  Pioneer Valley Cardiology  Pioneer Valley Cardiology  Pioneer Valley Cardiology  Pioneer Valley Cardiology  Pioneer Valley Cardiology  Pioneer Valley Cardiology  The Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology  Pioneer Valley Cardiology PC  Pioneer Valley Cardiology PC  Pioneer Valley Cardiology PC  Hampden County Physician Associates LLC  Hampden County Physician Associates LLC  Hampden County Physician Associates LLC  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Baystate Medical Associates  Palmer Medical Center  Harshad V Sanghvi  John Tumolo MD  Kenny Hasija MD  Motkar Reddy MD  Heyward Cardiology Pittsfield, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-06-10
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EndocarditisRead the Endocarditis article » What is endocarditis?Endocarditis is a serious infection of one of the four heart valves.
What causes endocarditis?Endocarditis is caused by a growth of bacteria on one of the heart valves, leading to an infected mass called a "vegetation". The infection may be introduced during brief periods of having bacteria in the bloodstream, such as after dental work, colonoscopy, and other similar procedures. What are the symptoms of endocarditis?Patients with endocarditis can develop:
In endocarditis, blood cultures can often detect the bacteria causing the endocarditis. Patients can also develop anemia, blood in urine, elevated white blood cell count, and a new heart murmur. Who is at risk for endocarditis?People with existing diseases of the heart valves (aortic stenosis, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, etc.) and people who have undergone heart valve replacements are at an increased risk of developing endocarditis. These people are usually given antibiotics prior to any procedure which may introduce bacteria into the bloodstream. This includes routine dental work, minor surgery, and procedures that may traumatize body tissues such as colonoscopy and gynecologic or urologic examinations. Examples of antibiotics used include oral amoxicillin (Amoxil) and erythromycin (Emycin, Eryc,PCE), as well as intramuscular or intravenous ampicillin, gentamicin, and vancomycin. How is endocarditis diagnosed?The infection on the valve can cause build up of nodul... Recommended Reading Related to EndocarditisWhat is a ventricular septal defect (VSD)?A ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a heart malformation present at birth. Any condition that is present at birth can also be termed a "congenital" condition. A VSD, therefore, is a type of congenital heart disease (CHD). The heart with a VSD has a hole in the wall (the septum) between its two lower chambers (the ventricles). How common is a VSD?The most frequent types of congenital malformations affect the heart. It is estimated that approximately eight in 1,000 newborns have CHD. A VSD is the most frequent of the various types of CHD (25%-30% of all CHD). Approximately one infant in 500 will be born with a VSD.
What is the normal design of the heart?The heart is made up of four separate chambers. The upper right chamber (atrium) receives blood back from the body with much of the oxygen extracted by the body organs and tissues. The blood is... Other Related Endocarditis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Pittsfield
Nearby Pittsfield Hospitals *Berkshire Medical Center BMC Hillcrest Campus Austen Riggs Center Fairview Hospital North Adams Regional Hospital Samaritan Hospital Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Albany Memorial Hospital St Mary's Hospital Troy Northampton VA Medical Center Stratton VA Medical Center at Albany Albany Medical Center Albany Medical Center South Clinical Campus Capital District Psychiatric Center Columbia Memorial Hospital St Peter's Hospital Cooley Dickinson Hospital Noble Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Endocarditis by Our Doctors
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Night Sweats
- Night sweats are severe hot flashes that occur at night and result in a drenching sweat. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to an overheated environment.
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Heart Murmur
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Ventricular Septal Defect
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