What Is Bacterial Endocarditis?

The endocardium is the innermost layer of the heart, including the heart's valves and the atria and ventricle walls. When bacteria enter the bloodstream, they travel through the organs of the body. When flowing through the heart, the atrium and ventricular wall are smooth, so it is impossible to stop. But when the valve is inflamed or damaged, the bacteria can stay, grow and reproduce there, and cause the valve to become inflamed. In addition, when there is an atrial septal defect or a ventricular septal defect, a vortex is formed when the blood flow passes through the defect, and bacteria can also stay at the defect and cause inflammation. Therefore, bacterial endocarditis is more common in children with congenital or acquired heart disease.

Bacterial endocarditis

Basic overview of bacterial endocarditis

The endocardium is the innermost layer of the heart, including the heart's valves and the atria and ventricle walls. When bacteria enter the bloodstream, they travel through the organs of the body. When flowing through the heart, the atrium and ventricular wall are smooth, so it is impossible to stop. But when the valve is inflamed or damaged, the bacteria can stay, grow and reproduce there, and cause the valve to become inflamed. In addition, when there is an atrial septal defect or a ventricular septal defect, a vortex is formed when the blood flow passes through the defect, and bacteria can also stay at the defect and cause inflammation. Therefore, bacterial endocarditis is more common in children with congenital or acquired heart disease.

Symptoms of bacterial endocarditis

Bacterial endocarditis has fever, and it is a long-term fever, mostly irregular heat type, moderate or high fever. Children with heart disease who have fever for more than half a month and no more other systemic symptoms should consider the possibility of bacterial endocarditis. Systemic symptoms include loss of energy, headache, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and loss of appetite. The performance of the heart is aggravated on the original basis, and symptoms of cardiac insufficiency appear. The inflammation on the valve and the defect can form neoplasms and become emboli, which become embolized in some organs as the blood flows. The emboli in the right heart usually cause pulmonary embolism, and the emboli in the left heart can cause embolism in the brain, spleen, and kidney, and the corresponding symptoms appear. Among them, cerebral embolism is the most serious and is life threatening. The spleen is enlarged during spleen embolism, and hematuria occurs in renal embolism.

Bacterial endocarditis treatment

Ultrasound examination of the heart can find the presence of neoplasm in the endocardium, which can be confirmed as bacterial endocarditis. Bacterial endocarditis needs to be treated with antibiotics. It should be administered intravenously and for a long time. After the body temperature is normal, it is still necessary With weeks, of course, it depends on the condition of the endocardium. In nursing, the most important thing is to prevent the emboli from falling off, and to find the embolism in time, the key is to control the activity. Because of excessive activity, emboli fall off easily. The sick child is absolutely in bed. A sick child died of cerebral embolism and cerebral hemorrhage after going to the toilet by himself. Parents must keep this in mind. If the sick child has headache, dizziness, or vomiting, cerebral embolism should be considered. Hemiplegia can still be seen, that is, one side of the upper and lower limbs cannot move. Regular urinalysis should be performed. If hematuria occurs, it indicates renal embolism. Cough, hemoptysis, and pulmonary embolism are indicated. When there is cerebral embolism, there will be sequelae such as inflexible limb movements. Massage, acupuncture, medical gymnastics should be done in nursing to promote blood circulation, help limbs to resume activities, and prevent muscle atrophy.