How bacteria reach the heart
There are several ways that bacteria can enter your blood.
Mouth
Everyday activities, such as brushing your teeth or chewing your food, can sometimes allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
The risk is increased if your teeth and gums are in bad condition because it makes it easier for bacteria to enter.
Infection
Bacteria can spread from the site of a pre-existing infection, such as a skin infection or a gum infection.
Bacteria can also enter your body as a result of a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
Needles and tubes
Any medical procedure that involves placing a medical instrument inside the body carries a small associated risk of introducing bacteria into your bloodstream.
Instruments that have been linked to endocarditis include:
- syringes
- urinary catheters – a tube used to drain the bladder
- the tubes used during dialysis – a treatment that involves replicating the functions of the kidneys
- laparoscopes – a small, flexible tube with a light source and a camera at 1 end, used in keyhole surgery
Who's at risk
There are a number of things that can make your heart more vulnerable to infection and increase your chances of developing endocarditis.
These include:
- heart valve disease
- having prosthetic valves
- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- injecting drugs
- fungal endocarditis
Heart valve disease
Heart valve disease is a general term describing health problems that damage the valves of the heart.
Two types of heart valve disease known to increase your risk of endocarditis are:
- valvular stenosis – where the valve(s) of the heart become narrowed, disrupting the blood flow through the heart
- valvular regurgitation – where the valve(s) of the heart do not close properly, causing blood to leak back in the wrong direction
Heart valve disease can be either:
- congenital – where you're born with the condition
- acquired – where you develop the condition in later life
Causes of acquired heart valve disease include:
- a previous heart attack – a heart attack can damage the muscles that surround and support the valve, preventing the valves functioning properly
- high blood pressure – without treatment, high blood pressure (hypertension) can weaken the tissue around the valves
- rheumatic fever – a type of bacterial infection that can damage the heart
Rheumatic fever is rare since the introduction of antibiotics. But older people who had rheumatic fever during childhood may go on to develop heart valve disease.
Prosthetic valves
Prosthetic (artificial) valves are used to replace heart valves that have been damaged by heart valve disease.
But bacteria can also take root around prosthetic valves, which can occasionally trigger endocarditis.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle cells have enlarged and the walls of the heart chambers thicken.
The chambers are reduced in size so they cannot hold much blood, and the walls cannot relax properly and may stiffen.
Injecting drugs
People who inject illegal drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine (crystal meth) have an increased risk of developing endocarditis.
This is because unsterilised needles allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream and repeated injections make the skin more vulnerable to infection.
Fungal endocarditis
Endocarditis caused by a fungal infection is rarer than bacterial endocarditis, and usually more serious.
You're more at risk of fungal endocarditis if you:
- inject drugs
- have a history of heart surgery
- have a central venous catheter – a tube connected to a vein in the neck, groin or chest, which is used to deliver medicines or fluids to people who are seriously ill
- have a weakened immune system – either as a result of a health condition affecting the immune system, such as HIV, or as a side effect of certain types of treatments, such as chemotherapy.
