Endocarditis Care in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart (the endocardium) or the heart valves. The endocardium is the thin membrane that lines the inside of the heart chambers. This condition is sometimes called infective endocarditis or bacterial endocarditis.

In Grand Rapids and across West Michigan, endocarditis is treated as a serious heart infection that often requires hospital care, usually at major centers such as Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) Butterworth Hospital, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, or Mercy Health facilities.

What Is Endocarditis?

Endocarditis occurs when germs (usually bacteria) enter the bloodstream and attach to damaged areas of the heart or to artificial (prosthetic) heart valves or devices.

Without prompt medical treatment, this infection can severely damage or even destroy heart valves and may become life-threatening.

While it can affect anyone, endocarditis most often occurs in people who already have certain heart conditions or implanted heart devices.

Types of Infective Endocarditis

Acute Bacterial Endocarditis (ABE)

  • Develops quickly, often over a few days to a few weeks
  • Usually caused by more aggressive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus
  • Symptoms are often severe and sudden

Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis (SBE)

  • Develops slowly, over weeks to months
  • Often caused by less aggressive bacteria
  • Symptoms may be mild at first and easy to overlook

Both types are medical emergencies and require evaluation by a healthcare professional in Grand Rapids as soon as possible.

Symptoms of Endocarditis

Symptoms can vary, but common signs and symptoms include:

  • Fever and chills
  • Persistent fatigue or lethargy
  • Loss of appetite or unintentional weight loss
  • Generalized body aches or joint pain
  • Persistent cough
  • Shortness of breath or increased breathing rate
  • Abnormal or new heart murmur (heard with a stethoscope)
  • Abnormal heart rhythms (slow heart rate or tachycardia – rapid heart rate)
  • Night sweats
  • Swelling in the legs, feet, or abdomen

If you live in the Grand Rapids area and notice these symptoms—especially if you have a known heart condition or heart valve problem—contact your primary care provider, a cardiologist, or seek urgent care at a local emergency department.

What Causes Endocarditis?

Endocarditis most often begins when bacteria enter the bloodstream, a condition called bacteremia. These bacteria can then attach to:

  • Damaged areas of the heart
  • Abnormal or diseased heart valves
  • Prosthetic (artificial) heart valves
  • Implanted devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators

Common bacteria involved include:

  • Staphylococcus species (including Staphylococcus aureus and drug-resistant “golden staph”)
  • Streptococcus species (often originating from the mouth or throat)
  • Less commonly, other bacteria or fungi

Once attached, the bacteria trigger inflammation, blood clot formation, and scarring. A scarred heart valve or endocardium is more vulnerable to future infections.

Complications of Endocarditis

Untreated or severe endocarditis can lead to serious problems, including:

  • Reduced heart valve function or valve destruction
  • Heart failure due to damaged valves
  • Blood clots (emboli) that break loose and block blood vessels in:
    • Brain (stroke)
    • Lungs (pulmonary embolism)
    • Kidneys, spleen, or other organs
  • Spread of infection to:
    • Other areas of the heart (such as the heart muscle)
    • Other parts of the body (including the brain, bones, or skin)

These complications often require hospitalization at major Grand Rapids hospitals and sometimes emergency surgery.

Who Is at Risk for Endocarditis?

Endocarditis is rare in people with completely healthy hearts. However, several conditions increase the risk, including:

Heart Conditions and Devices

  • Congenital heart defects (heart problems present at birth)
  • Prior surgery to correct heart defects
  • Artificial (prosthetic) heart valves
  • Pacemakers, defibrillators, or other implanted cardiac devices
  • Rheumatic heart disease
  • Previous endocarditis (a past infection of the heart lining or valves)

Some congenital heart defects—such as a ventricular septal defect—can be surgically repaired so that the increased risk of endocarditis is greatly reduced or eliminated. Your cardiologist in Grand Rapids can tell you whether you still need special precautions.

Lifestyle and Medical Factors

  • Intravenous (IV) drug use, even without prior heart disease
  • Long-term IV lines (for chemotherapy, long-term antibiotics, or nutrition)
  • Weakened immune system (from conditions like diabetes, cancer, or certain medications)

If you have a heart condition and live in the Grand Rapids area, ask your cardiologist or primary care doctor whether you are at increased risk for infective endocarditis.

Procedures That May Increase Endocarditis Risk

Short-term bacteremia can occur during certain dental or surgical procedures, especially when there is bleeding. For most people, this is not dangerous. However, for those at high risk of endocarditis, these procedures may trigger an infection.

Procedures include:

Dental Procedures

  • Professional tooth cleaning
  • Tooth extraction
  • Any dental work likely to cause gum bleeding

Surgical and Medical Procedures

  • Heart surgery
  • IV lines used during or after surgery
  • Lung investigations with a rigid bronchoscope
  • Tonsillectomy (removal of tonsils)
  • Adenoidectomy (removal of adenoids)
  • Urinary tract surgery
  • Gastrointestinal surgery
  • Gallbladder surgery
  • Prostate surgery

If you are at high risk of endocarditis, your Grand Rapids healthcare provider may recommend preventive antibiotics before certain procedures.

Endocarditis Prevention in Grand Rapids

Talk With Your Doctor or Dentist

If you have a heart condition or prosthetic heart valve:

  • Inform your dentist and surgeon before any procedure
  • Ask whether you need antibiotic prophylaxis (antibiotics taken shortly before the procedure)
  • Keep an up-to-date list of your heart conditions and medications

Consider a Medical Alert Card

Some people at high risk choose to:

  • Carry a medical alert card or wear a medical ID bracelet stating they are at increased risk of infective endocarditis
  • Keep this information in their wallet or purse in case of emergency

Daily Health Habits

In West Michigan’s changing climate—cold winters, indoor heating, and seasonal illnesses—good overall health habits can reduce infections that might lead to bacteremia:

  • Maintain good oral hygiene and have regular dental checkups
  • Treat skin infections promptly
  • Manage chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure with a local Grand Rapids provider
  • Seek care early for respiratory or urinary infections, especially during Michigan’s cold and flu season

How Endocarditis Is Diagnosed

If your doctor in Grand Rapids suspects endocarditis, they may order:

  • Medical history and physical exam
  • Blood tests to look for infection and identify the bacteria
  • Urine tests to check kidney function and look for signs of infection
  • Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) to see the heart valves and look for vegetations (infected clumps)
  • Sometimes CT scans, MRI, or transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) for a closer look at the heart

You may be referred to a cardiologist or infectious disease specialist at a local hospital such as Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health.

Treatment for Endocarditis

Endocarditis almost always requires hospital treatment at least initially.

Medications

  • Intravenous (IV) antibiotics for 4–8 weeks, tailored to the specific bacteria
  • Blood-thinning medications (such as warfarin or aspirin) may be used if blood clots are present or based on your cardiologist’s recommendation

Surgery

Some patients may need surgery to:

  • Repair or replace severely damaged heart valves
  • Remove or replace infected prosthetic heart valves or implanted devices
  • Drain abscesses or remove infected tissue

These procedures are typically performed at major heart centers in Grand Rapids.

Local Resources in Grand Rapids, Michigan

If you are concerned about endocarditis or have a heart condition, you can seek help from:

  • Primary Care Providers in Grand Rapids
  • Cardiologists at:
    • Corewell Health (Spectrum Health)
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
    • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
    • Mercy Health
  • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health for community health resources and support
  • Michigan-based heart organizations and support groups for patients with congenital and acquired heart disease

If you experience sudden chest pain, severe shortness of breath, confusion, weakness on one side of the body, or difficulty speaking, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.

Key Points About Endocarditis

  • Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart or heart valves.
  • Without treatment, it can severely damage or destroy heart valves and may be life-threatening.
  • Acute bacterial endocarditis (ABE) develops over days to weeks; subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) may take weeks to months.
  • General symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, persistent cough, and abnormal heart rhythms.
  • Bacteria usually reach the heart through the bloodstream (bacteremia), often from infections elsewhere in the body or certain dental/surgical procedures.
  • People with congenital heart defects, artificial valves, prior endocarditis, or implanted heart devices are at higher risk.
  • Diagnosis involves blood tests, imaging (especially echocardiogram), and a careful medical history and exam.
  • Treatment typically includes 4–8 weeks of IV antibiotics and sometimes heart surgery.
  • In Grand Rapids, prompt evaluation at local hospitals and clinics is essential for the best outcomes.