Endocarditis is an infection of the endocardium, heart valves, or cardiac prosthesis that results from bacterial or fungal invasion.
In patients with infective endocarditis, fibrin and platelets cluster on valve tissue and engulf circulating bacteria or fungi. This produces vegetation, which, in turn, may cover the valve surfaces, causing deformities and destruction or valvular tissue. It may also extend to the chrodae tendinae, causing them to rupture, which leads to valvular insufficiency.
Sometimes vegetations forms on the endocardium, usually in areas already by rheumatic, congenital, or syphilitic heart disease. It may also form on normal surfaces. Vegetative growth on the heart valves, endocardial lining of heart chamber, or the endometrium of a blood vessel may embolize to the spleen, kidney, central nervous system (CNS), and lungs.
Endocarditis causes
Most causes of endocarditis occur in patients who abuse I.V drugs or those with prosthetic heart valves, mitral valve prolapsed, or rheumatic heart disease.
Other predisposing conditions include congenital abnormalities (coarctation of the aorta and tetralogy of fallot), subaortic and valvular aortic stenosis, ventricular septal defects, pulmonary stenosis, marfan syndrome, degenerative heart disease, and syphilis.
Endocarditis Pathophysiology
Infection causes fibrin and platelets to aggregate on valve tissue and engulf circulating bacteria or fungi. They form friable verrucous (wart like) vegetative growths on the heart valves, endocardial lining of a heart chamber, or endothelium of a blood vessel.
Such vegetations may cover the valve surfaces, causing ulceration and necrosis, they may also extend to the cordae tendineae. Ultimately, they may embolize to the spleen, kidneys, central nervous system, and lungs.
Endocarditis symptoms
The infection can affect different people in a different manner, so symptoms and sign of endocarditis may vary , endocarditis symptoms mainly include:
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Arthralgias
- Short breath
- Night sweat
- Intermittent fever
- Chills
- Paleness
- petechiae
- Swollen legs, abdomen, and feet.
- Haematuria or blood in urine
- Tender spleen
Endocarditis diagnosis
Diagnosis is usually based upon the patient’s history, symptoms, and other physical findings. Tests mainly include: blood test or blood cultures, echocardiogram, may be helpful in identifying a clump of bacteria on the heart valve.
Homeopathic treatment for endocarditis
Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat endocarditis but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several remedies are available to treat endocarditis that can be selected on the basis of cause, sensations and modalities of the complaints. For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. There are following remedies which are helpful in the treatment of endocarditis:
Aconite, Arsenic Album, Aurum Met, Kalmia, Spigelia, Abrotanum, Acetic Acid, Aurum Mur, Bryonia, Cactus, Calcaria Carb, Colchicum, Iodium, Kali Carb, Kali Iod, Lachesis, Naja, Phosphorous, Sepia, Spongia, Veratrum V, and many other medicines.
Endocarditis Cases Cured with Homeopathic Medicine
Pericarditis And Endocarditis in a man of 17 – by Edward Charles Chepmell
Endocarditis with Nephritis – by Edmund Carleton