Endocarditis and Stroke

This is Dr. Cal Shipley with a review of endocarditis, cardiac valve vegetations and stroke.

Endocarditis can occur when there is fungal or, more commonly, bacterial infection in the bloodstream, a condition known as septicemia or sepsis. As the organisms travel through the heart, they attach themselves to the valve leaflets between the heart chambers. The oxygen and nutrient-rich environment found on the left side of the heart results in rapid growth of organisms which form clumps known as vegetations.

Unpredictably, the vegetations may detach from the valve leaflets. The vegetations are then ejected into the aorta where they may travel up into the arteries of the brain causing obstruction to blood flow and subsequent stroke.

Cal Shipley, M.D. copyright 2020