noun
- inflammation of the endocardium, especially of the heart valves
Usage: medical
Examples
- The patient was diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis after developing a heart murmur.
- Endocarditis can be caused by various bacteria or fungi entering the bloodstream.
- Early treatment of endocarditis with antibiotics is crucial to prevent complications.
- The cardiologist suspected endocarditis when the blood cultures came back positive.
- Intravenous drug use increases the risk of developing endocarditis.
- The echocardiogram revealed vegetation on the heart valve, confirming endocarditis.