Cardiac Subspecialty Certification 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves, and certain risk factors can significantly increase the likelihood of developing this condition. Among these, valve disorders are particularly critical. Individuals with pre-existing valve abnormalities or prosthetic heart valves have disrupted surface integrity, which can provide an ideal environment for bacteria or fungi to adhere and form vegetations—leading to endocarditis.

Patients with congenital heart defects or those who have had rheumatic fever might also have compromised valves. These factors work together to increase the risk, as any turbulence in blood flow or damage to the endocardial surface can facilitate the colonization of pathogens.

While other conditions such as smoking, diabetes, and obesity can affect overall health and contribute to various cardiovascular diseases, they do not directly correlate with the structural vulnerabilities that predispose an individual to endocarditis in the same way that existing valve disorders do. Thus, the presence of these valve abnormalities is the most definitive and recognized risk factor for the development of endocarditis.