Heart-Bacterial Endocarditis

Infective endocarditis, or Bacterial endocarditis is an infection of the heart's inner lining (endocardium) or the heart valves. Infective endocarditis occurs when bacteria in the bloodstream (bacteremia) lodge on abnormal heart valves or other damaged heart tissue.

The drawing below depicts a bacterial infection (green) on the bicuspid heart valve (white).

If you have certain preexisting heart conditions, then you are at increased risk for endocarditis. Some of these preexisting heart conditions include:

• an artificial (prosthetic) heart valve
• a history of previous endocarditis
• heart valves damaged (scarred) by conditions such as rheumatic fever
• various kinds of congenital heart defects
• hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• people who have had a heart transplant who develop a heart valve abnormality

Find out if your personal health history puts you at risk for having 'Bacterial Preexisting Heart Conditions' --> Click Here to Take an Online Assessment.