The treatment for bacterial endocarditis is initially done with the use of antibiotics that can be administered orally or directly into the vein for 4 to 6 weeks, according to medical advice. Usually the treatment for bacterial endocarditis is done in a hospital environment so that the patient is monitored and complications are avoided.
When suspected of endocarditis, the doctor requests blood culture, which corresponds to the microbiological examination that aims to identify the microorganism present in the blood and which antibiotic is most effective for treatment. In the case of more serious infections and when treatment with drugs is not enough, surgery may be necessary to remove the infected tissue and, sometimes, change the affected heart valve. Understand how the diagnosis of blood infection is made.
Bacterial endocarditis corresponds to the inflammation of the valves and the tissue that lines the heart internally, causing symptoms such as fever, chest pain, shortness of breath and loss of appetite, for example. Learn more about bacterial endocarditis.
How the treatment is done
The initial treatment of bacterial endocarditis is done with the use of antibiotics that are indicated by the cardiologist according to the identified microorganism and can be taken orally or administered directly into the vein, depending on medical advice. However, when the infection cannot be resolved with the use of antibiotics, it may be recommended to perform a surgical procedure to change the affected heart valve and remove the infected tissue from the heart.
Depending on the severity of the infection, the doctor may also recommend replacing the damaged valve with an artificial one made of animal tissue or synthetic materials. See what the post-operative and recovery after cardiac surgery looks like.
Signs of improvement
Signs of improvement in bacterial endocarditis appear with the start of treatment and include a decrease in fever, cough, chest pain, as well as shortness of breath, vomiting or nausea.
Signs of worsening
Signs of worsening of bacterial endocarditis appear when treatment is not done properly or when the patient is slow to seek medical attention and include increased fever, shortness of breath and chest pain, swelling in the feet and hands, lack of appetite and weight loss.
Possible complications
If endocarditis is not identified and treated quickly, it can lead to some complications, such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and can lead to death.
