Nails can give valuable health information. The presence of small lines, in the sense of growth, dark red color can be the sign of a heart problem. As the University of Ottawa Cardiology Institute explains, these features, called subungue linear hemorrhages, are one of the symptoms of endocarditis, an infection of the cardiac valves.
Trait under the nail: What are the other symptoms of endocarditis?
Some other signs are more common such as fever, chills, night sweats, fatigue or muscle and joint pain. But the pathology can also manifest itself by red spots on the palm of the hands and the soles of the feet. The Cardiology Institute also specifies that the presence of nodules, small bumps, red on the pulp of the fingers, red spots or even purplish on the skin or swelling on the feet can be a manifestation. “”Symptoms may suddenly appear (in a few days) or progressive (over several weeks or months) “specifies the institute.
What are the causes of endocarditis?
This infection of cardiac valves is caused by the spread of microorganisms, often a bacteria, in the blood circulation, arrived in the body by another part of the body, like an open wound for example. “”The most often incriminated bacteria are streptococci (whose front door is most often dental or digestive), staphylococci (whose front door is often skin, or linked to infected catheters) and enterococci (whose front door is often urinary or digestive) “indicate the Civil Hospices of Lyon. The disease is rare, but some people are more at risk: those with damaged heart valve, artificial heart valve or heart defect. In France, around 1,500 cases are identified each year.
Endocarditis: management must be fast
In the event of endocarditis, there is a risk of complications, including stroke, pulmonary embolism or heart failure. “”Infectious endocarditis is a serious illness that can cause death “alerts the Cardiology Institute of the University of Ottawa. To treat it, doctors prescribe antibiotics, or antifungals, for several weeks or months. In the most serious cases, a surgical operation is necessary to remove the damaged tissues or even to replace the heart valve. “”A person who has made infectious endocarditis is more at risk of redoing it than the general population, underline the Civil Hospices of Lyon. (…) The occurrence of prolonged fever or thrill, even years after infectious endocarditis, must alert and lead to the realization of blood samples (hemocultures) without having recourse to blind antibiotics.”
