Symptoms And Treatments For Heart Conditions You Didn't Know Existed

Treatment For Endocarditis

Doctors will typically treat endocarditis with antibiotics administered through an IV line in a hospital setting. This form of treatment usually lasts between two to six weeks, depending on the severity as well as the patient’s response. Though it begins in a hospital setting, patients are sometimes allowed to continue the treatment at home after the first week, if they are doing well, though they will need special care to continue the IV antibiotics. Follow-up treatment usually includes a cardiologist, a doctor specializing in infectious diseases, as well as a heart surgeon. Surgery, such as replacing the heart valve or clearing the infection, is also used to treat endocarditis where antibiotics are not effective. It is particularly common for endocarditis to result from fungi since this is harder to manage than bacteria.

Continue reading for details on the next rare heart condition that stems from a hole in the two main chambers of the heart.