What other health problems may infective endocarditis cause?
Infective endocarditis may cause problems or damage elsewhere in your body. The risk of these problems is decreased if your endocarditis is treated early. Other health problems you may have because of your endocarditis include the following: • Kidney problems. You may need dialysis to clean your blood if your kidneys stop working. • New or worsening heart problems. Examples include heart valve problems or heart failure. You may have dangerous heart rhythms. • The endocarditis may cause blood clots or plaque (growths) in your heart. The clots or plaque may break off and go to the brain, lungs, kidneys, or other parts of the body. This can cause problems that may be serious, even life threatening. • The infection of the heart lining may spread elsewhere in the body. For example, it may spread to the blood, the heart muscle itself, or other organs. This spreading infection may be dangerous or make you very sick.