Endocarditis

The first step in diagnosing Reference endocarditis Opens New Window is a review of your medical history and a physical exam.

As part of your medical history, your doctor will ask you:

• About your symptoms.
• If you have a Reference heart murmur Opens New Window or have had valve replacement surgery.
• If you have any recent risk factors (things that put you at risk) for a bacterial or fungal infection, such as drug injection, dental procedures, or a catheter (such as a catheter for Reference hemodialysis Opens New Window).

As part of your physical exam, your doctor will check your body for signs of an infection. This includes:

• Looking in your eyes for small amounts of bleeding.
• Looking at your skin for tiny purple or red spots, tender bumps, or painless red spots.
• Listening to your heart for a murmur.
• Listening to your lungs for any fluid buildup.
• Giving you a neurologic exam to check for signs of a Reference stroke Opens New Window.

Other tests may be needed to diagnose endocarditis. They include:

• Reference Blood cultures. Several blood cultures are recommended to identify bacteria or fungi in the bloodstream. But sometimes blood cultures fail to detect endocarditis. The cultures may fail because you recently took antibiotics or the bacteria or fungi causing your endocarditis do not grow well in a lab culture. If the blood cultures do not detect endocarditis, you may need further testing.
• Reference Echocardiogram, including transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and Reference transesophageal echocardiogram Opens New Window (TEE). These tests use high-pitched sound waves to produce an image of the heart. They can find infected areas, heart valve defects, and other abnormalities.

You may need other tests to identify complications of endocarditis. These tests may include:

• Reference Chest X-ray, which can show whether your heart is enlarged or you have signs of heart failure.
• Reference Electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG). An EKG can determine whether your heart rhythm is regular. Endocarditis can cause Reference abnormal heartbeats Opens New Window or an abnormal heart rhythm (Reference heart block).
• Reference Urinalysis, which checks for blood and protein in the urine.
• Reference Computed tomography Opens New Window or an Reference MRI Opens New Window. These tests can tell if a blood clot caused by endocarditis has caused a Reference stroke Opens New Window or if the infection has spread to your brain.
• Reference Cardiac catheterization Opens New Window. This test may be useful if you need to have valve replacement surgery because of endocarditis. It may also be used before valve surgery to see if you have Reference coronary artery disease Opens New Window that should be treated at the same time.

© 1995-2011, Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.