Misdiagnosed Infective Endocarditis
Infective endocarditis is a life-threatening infection of the inner lining of the heart which can, if untreated, prove fatal. A delay in treatment can lead to heart failure or the occurrence of a stroke and all the possible associated long-term effects.
Infective endocarditis
Although rare, the National Institute for Care and Health Excellence (NICE) has noted that the incidence of infective endocarditis appears to be increasing. It is a condition which requires prompt diagnosis and treatment in order to prevent a potentially fatal outcome for the patient.
Diagnosing infective endocarditis
Can be difficult to diagnose as symptoms can be non-specific and can be misinterpreted as representative of other conditions such as a lymphoma.
Early symptoms could include the following:
- Loss of appetite
- High temperature
- Loss of energy
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
Considering context in a diagnosis
In these circumstances, context is important. Where the patient is known to have a pre-existing heart condition, a problem with their heart valves or even prosthetic or artificial valves, the possibility that their symptoms might, in fact, be indicative of developing endocarditis must be considered.
Men over 50 are also more likely to succumb to this condition and these factors should also be taken into account in the process of diagnosing this condition.
The British Medical Journal has observed that an increasing proportion of cases of infective endocarditis are now associated with artificial valves or hospital acquired infections.
At-risk patients
In particular, NICE identifies the following groups as being at risk of developing infective endocarditis:
- Those who have previously suffered with the condition
- Patients who have a replacement heart valve
- Patients with congenital heart disease
- Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Patients with acquired valvular heart disease
Treating infective endocarditis
A patient who might be developing infective endocarditis requires a confirmation of their condition as quickly as possible in order to be admitted to hospital and commence appropriate intravenous antibiotic intervention.
They might also need surgery to replace or repair a heart valve in order to resolve the symptoms which they are experiencing.
In order to confirm that the patient is developing endocarditis, they may need to have blood tests, an echocardiogram or undergo a CT scan.
A prompt referral for these tests is crucial.
Medical negligence
A failure to refer a patient for further investigation where it might be reasonable to have suspected that they were developing infective endocarditis might be considered to have been medically negligent.
If you or a loved one have suffered the impact of delayed treatment of this condition, contact us to discuss your situation with a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
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