Symptoms

Most people with endocarditis have symptoms that begin within 2 weeks after becoming infected. Vague, flu-like symptoms, such as a low-grade fever and fatigue, often occur first. But infection with a powerful strain of bacteria may cause symptoms to be more severe (such as a high fever) and to appear much faster, within a few days. If symptoms persist, see your doctor, especially if you are at a high risk for endocarditis.

Symptoms include:

• Chills and fever.
• Fatigue.
• Weight loss.
• Night sweats.
• Painful joints.
• Persistent cough and shortness of breath.
• Bleeding under the fingernails.
• Tiny purple and red spots under the skin.

If you have certain heart conditions, getting endocarditis is even more dangerous for you. These heart conditions include:

• Artificial heart valves.
• Endocarditis in the past.
• Heart defects since birth (congenital heart defects).
• Heart valve problems after a heart transplant.

Other risk factors (things that raise your risk) for endocarditis include:

• Having hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
• Having hemodialysis, which is a treatment to clean the blood for people who have kidney failure.
• Injecting street drugs using dirty needles or without cleaning the skin.
• Having HIV, which can reduce your ability to fight infection.

Your doctor can tell you whether you are at increased risk for endocarditis. Before you have any medical, dental, or surgical procedures, tell all other health professionals who may treat you that you are at risk for endocarditis. Your doctor can give you a card to carry in your wallet stating that you may need preventive antibiotics before having certain procedures.

Complications

You will likely have symptoms if you have a complication of endocarditis. Complications may include:

• Heart failure.
• Abscesses in the heart.
• Heart rhythm problems.
• Heart attack.
• Stroke.
• Infections in other organs such as the lungs, brain, or kidneys.