Guide To The Causes Of Heart Murmurs

Endocarditis

Endocarditis is a condition where an individual's interior heart lining becomes inflamed. Most cases of endocarditis are the result of an invasion by bacteria. The bacteria that have entered the body through an unrelated means move through the blood to the heart, where they attach to any pre-existing unhealthy tissue in the lining. Once attached, the bacteria wreaks more havoc on the heart muscle, causing valve damage and other problems. Endocarditis can cause the leaflets of the heart valves to accumulate fibrous and dense tissue as the body attempts to repair any damage caused by the infective bacteria. When this scar tissue accumulates on the leaflets, the valve cannot close properly. When the heart valve leaflets are unable to close properly, blood leaks backward through them when it should be obstructed from flowing in such a direction. This backward flow of blood can cause an individual to develop a heart murmur.