Infective Endocarditis
If infective endocarditis is not diagnosed and treated, it can result in serious injuries such as stroke and heart failure.
If a patient suffers these complications because medical practitioners fail to diagnose infective endocarditis and/or fail to offer timely treatment, there may be grounds for a compensation claim.
To talk to a solicitor about the care you or your loved one received for infective endocarditis, please contact us today at Glynns Solicitors. We specialise in medical negligence claims and will explain what your options are.
Infective endocarditis
Infective endocarditis is also known as bacterial endocarditis. It is a rare but very serious bacterial infection that occurs inside the heart. Specifically, it is when the inner lining of the heart is infected. The inner lining is called the endocardium.
Risk factors of infective endocarditis
Infective endocarditis is rare because the heart is normally well protected against infection. But sometimes the bacteria will bypass the body's normal defences and reach the heart. This is more likely if the bacteria are able to get straight into the blood stream, for example, via the gums, from a pre-existing infection or through needles/tubes.
There are factors that put someone at increased risk of infective endocarditis. This includes:
- Heart valve damage, normally as a result of heart valve disease such as valvular stenosis and valvular regurgitation
- Prosthetic heart valve
- Intravenous drug use
Therefore many patients will have known pre-existing conditions that put them at increased risk of infective endocarditis. This risk will be particularly heightened if the patient undergoes invasive medical treatment - including invasive dental treatment.
This is because cutting open the gums/body, or inserting cannulas/catheters provides the bacteria with an opportunity to enter the bloodstream. The bacteria can travel to the heart via the bloodstream and infect the endocardium.
Recognising infective endocarditis
When someone develops infective endocarditis, they will generally complain of flu-like symptoms, with a raised temperature, night sweats, aches, shivers, fatigue, weight loss and lethargy. There may also be intermittent chest pain and heart murmurs.
Recognising these symptoms is the first step towards securing a diagnosis. Suspicions should be especially raised if a patient has a history of heart disease or surgery. The attending doctor should check a patient's medical history to see whether there is anything that could put him/her at increased risk. The doctor should also enquire as to whether any recent dental or medical treatment has occurred, as this too increases the risk.
The next step is to perform various tests to see if there are any clinical signs that correspond with a diagnosis of infective endocarditis. For instance:
- Listening for a heart murmur with a stethoscope
- Doing an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to scan the heart
- Performing blood tests to check for bacteria
If a patient's symptoms and test results correlate with a diagnosis of infective endocarditis, no time should be wasted in admitting him/her to hospital.
In hospital the condition can be effectively treated with antibiotics. If heart damage has occurred, surgery may be required.
Complications if infective endocarditis is not treated
If infective endocarditis is not diagnosed and treated, very serious complications can arise. This happens because the infection will damage the heart valves. The heart will not be able to pump blood around the body properly, a condition which is called heart failure. This in turn can result in further complications. For instance, if the brain becomes deprived of blood, a stroke can occur.
Such complications can cause permanent injuries. Indeed, a stroke can result in severe disability, with loss of mobility on one side of the body, speech difficulties, loss of sight and memory loss. These problems will lead to limited mobility and reduced independence. The patient may require ongoing assistance with personal care and daily living. The loss of amenity can instigate the onset of severe depression and other mental health issues.
Due to these physical and emotional problems, it is likely that a patient would also be left unable to work. Financial struggles can ensue if the patient was formerly working. Alternatively a partner or family member may have to give up work to fulfil their care needs.
Compensation for infective endocarditis complications
If a patient suffers such life-changing complications because infective endocarditis, questions must be asked about the standard of care provided.
If medical practitioners overlooked a possible diagnosis of infective endocarditis and therefore failed to refer/admit a patient to hospital, there may be a case of medical negligence. This will be especially true if the patient had a recent history of invasive medical treatment or a medical history of heart valve disease.
It would not be acceptable to discharge a patient with the symptoms of infective endocarditis, particularly if there is a known risk of the condition developing. Should this cause the patient to suffer injuries that could otherwise have been prevented with earlier medical treatment, there could be grounds for a compensation claim.
Medical compensation claim
A medical compensation claim will give the patient and their family the opportunity to obtain some form of justice. If successful, it will result in the patient being awarded a sum of compensation. This is intended to reflect all of the physical, emotional and financial damages that have been incurred, with damages potentially being awarded for:
- Physical/emotional pain, suffering and loss of amenity
- Future care and assistance costs
- Pension loss
- Future household assistance costs
- Future accommodation costs
- Future aids and equipment costs
- Future utility costs
- Past care and assistance costs
- Loss of earnings
- Miscellaneous costs, such as travel and equipment
A compensation claim therefore offers the chance to recover the sometimes enormous financial loss that is experienced because of medical error.
Talk to a solicitor today
If you, your spouse or family member has endured complications because infective endocarditis was not diagnosed and treated in time, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today. We are an expert team of medical negligence lawyers who act for clients across England and Wales. We will explain your options, saying whether you are legally eligible to make a claim.
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