Endocarditis

Endocarditis is an inflammation of your heart's inner lining. The most common type, bacterial endocarditis, occurs when germs enter your heart. These germs come through your bloodstream from another part of your body, often your mouth. Bacterial endocarditis can damage your heart valves.

What is Endocarditis?

Endocarditis is an infection of the heart that can be fatal if left untreated. In this condition, the inner lining of the heart or endocardium becomes infected, usually by bacteria that enter the bloodstream and get carried towards the heart.

Infective Endocarditis

Non-Infective Endocarditis

Role of Echocardiography in Endocarditis

Update on diagnosis, risk classification and treatment of Kawasaki Disease

Advances in cardiac imaging techniques and risk categorization have led to improvements in diagnosis, initial treatment and long-term management of patients with Kawasaki Disease, according to a new scientific statement published today in the American Heart Association's flagship, peer-reviewed journal Circulation.

14 Nov 2024

Women who inject drugs are vulnerable to endocarditis, study shows

People who inject drugs are dying at an alarming rate from endocarditis, a serious but treatable heart-valve infection.

4 Oct 2024

MATTERHORN trial finds TEER non-inferior to surgery for secondary mitral regurgitation

There was no difference in efficacy between transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) and surgery in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (MR), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2024.

1 Sep 2024

TCT 2024 to feature latest advances in interventional cardiovascular medicine

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation is pleased to announce the late-breaking clinical trials and science to be featured at TCT 2024.

28 Aug 2024

Opioid use disorder medications underused after injection-related infections

Deaths from injection-related infections like endocarditis have increased among young people, likely due to the growth of injection drug use and stronger, shorter-acting fentanyl.

24 Jul 2024

Study reveals genetic divergence and drug resistance mechanisms in two critical superbugs

Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic strains of bacteria are a global cause of morbidity and mortality. Hospital-acquired infections caused by Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were found vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

29 Apr 2024

STS introduces new risk calculators for valve surgeries

The expanding use of transcatheter technologies has changed the landscape in the treatment of valvular disease in adult cardiac patients, with valve surgery rapidly shifting to more complex interventions frequently involving other concomitant procedures.

26 Apr 2024

West Virginia city once battered by opioid overdoses confronts ‘fourth wave’

From 2006 through 2014, more than 81 million painkiller pills were shipped to this city and surrounding rural Cabell County.

13 Mar 2024

Many young patients choose TAVR despite better long-term survival with surgery

Despite national guidelines recommending surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for patients under age 65 with severe aortic stenosis, many hospitals are still opting for a nonsurgical approach in patients under 60-;possibly with poorer survival rates.

29 Jan 2024

"Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts" initiative bridges oral health and heart health

A patient's oral health can be an indicator of overall health and well-being. Research shows that chronic gum inflammation may be associated with other chronic diseases including coronary artery disease and diabetes.

16 Jan 2024

Hospital surfaces harbor pathogens despite cleaning, study finds

A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) reports microbial contamination -; including pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria -; on high-touch hospital surfaces despite compliance with recommended disinfection protocols.

11 Jan 2024

Alarming rise in infective endocarditis-related deaths among 25-44 year olds in the U.S.

Study examines the trends in infective endocarditis-associated deaths in the U.S. from 1999 to 2020, highlighting a significant increase in mortality among young adults aged 25-44, particularly in states heavily impacted by the opioid crisis.

18 Dec 2023

Rapid identification of disease-causing bacteria using Raman spectroscopy

Study in BioRisk explores the use of Raman spectroscopy for rapid identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria causing serious human diseases, demonstrating its potential as a quick and efficient diagnostic tool.

14 Dec 2023

Infective endocarditis deaths spike among young adults, research shows

Death rates related to infective endocarditis declined in most adults across the U.S. within the last two decades, yet accelerated among young adults ages 25 to 44 years old, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

13 Dec 2023

UMSOM receives $29 million research award to improve health outcomes in people who inject opioid drugs

University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today that the school will receive a $29 million research award over four years from the National Institutes of Health to lead a multicenter trial that aims to improve health outcomes in people who inject opioid drugs and are hospitalized with infectious complications of their drug use.

11 Dec 2023

Promising potential of probiotics and their byproducts for targeting antibiotic-resistant bacteria

The use of probiotics and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) against multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria.

27 Sep 2023

Patients with heart conditions should practice good hygiene to prevent infective endocarditis

Patients with specific cardiac conditions such as valvular heart disease and congenital abnormalities, or those requiring a pacemaker, should practice good dental and skin hygiene to help prevent rare but potentially deadly infections of the heart's inner lining and valves, according to European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines on infective endocarditis, published online today in European Heart Journal.

25 Aug 2023