The development of blood clots on the heart’s lining and valves is known as noninfective endocarditis.
• When a blood clot breaks loose and obstructs arteries in other parts of the body, symptoms appear.
• Blood cultures and echocardiogram are used for diagnosis.
• Treatment is with anticoagulants.
An infection of the endocardium (the inner lining of the heart) or the heart valves (infective endocarditis) is typically associated with endocarditis. But endocarditis can also develop in the absence of an infection. The term “noninfective endocarditis” refers to this type.
When fibrous blood clots (also known as sterile vegetations) form on injured heart valves, it can lead to noninfective endocarditis. An inflammatory disease, rheumatic fever, or congenital defects can all cause damage (in which antibodies target the heart valves). Catheter placement into the heart rarely causes injury. Those with the following conditions are among the most vulnerable:
- Immune diseases including antiphospholipid syndrome, which results in an abundance of blood clots, and systemic lupus erythematosus
- Lung, stomach, or pancreas cancers; • Other conditions that result in an excess of blood clots, such as burns; uremia (a build-up of waste products in the blood due to kidney failure); sepsis (a severe blood infection); or disseminated intravascular coagulation (a condition in which numerous small blood clots form throughout the bloodstream).
Similar to infectious endocarditis, noninfective endocarditis can result in heart valve leakage or abnormal opening. Vegetables that break free (becoming emboli), move through the circulation to other areas of the body, and lodge in an artery to obstruct it might cause arteries to become occluded. Blockages can occasionally have detrimental effects. A heart attack can result from an artery blocking the heart, and a stroke can be caused by an artery blocking the brain. Frequently impacted organs include the brain, spleen, kidneys, and lungs. Toes and fingers could also be impacted. Moreover, emboli frequently reach the skin and retina (the back of the eye).
Heart failure may arise due to malfunctioning heart valves. Breathlessness, edema in the legs, and cough are signs of heart failure.
When emboli form, symptoms of noninfectious endocarditis appear. The bodily portion affected determines the symptoms.