Infectious endocarditis

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Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

Infective endocarditis

Janeway lesion on the finger

Preexisting conditions that increase the likelihood of developing endocarditis include:

• Congenital (present at birth) heart disease (atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, and others)
• Prior rheumatic heart disease
• Cardiac valve anomalies (such as mitral insufficiency)
• Artificial heart valves

Since Streptococcus viridans is often found in the mouth, dental procedures are the most common cause of bacterial endocarditis. This can put children with congenital heart conditions at risk. As a result, it is common practice for children with some forms of congenital heart disease, and adults with certain heart-valve conditions to start on antibiotics prior to any dental work.

Review Date: 05/26/2006
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.