Rhabdomyolysis means the “dissolution of skeletal muscle”. It is a syndrome caused by direct muscle injury, or a mismatch between energy production and energy consumption that results in a breakdown of muscle cells. This breakdown results in the leakage of potentially toxic intracellular contents into the systemic circulation. While there are many causes for rhabdomyolysis, the most common include trauma,…
Read More
In this post, we continue with our series about Endocarditis with a discussion of Non-Infective Endocarditis and the Nursing Interventions for the patient with Endocarditis. CAUSES OF NON-INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS Non-Infective Endocarditis occurs when fibrous blood clots without bacteria form on damaged heart valves. Damage may be due to a birth defect, rheumatic fever, or an autoimmune disorder (where antibodies attack the heart valves);…
Read More
In this post, we continue with our discussion of Infective Endocarditis with its signs and symptoms and diagnosis. SYMPTOMS OF INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS Acute bacterial endocarditis usually begins suddenly with a high fever (102° to 104°F); tachycardia; fatigue; and rapid and extensive damage to the heart valves which cause symptoms of heart failure, like shortness of breath and lower extremity edema. Subacute bacterial endocarditis symptoms…
Read More
