Does anyone know of or have Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis or SBE? Or maybe Marfan's Syndrome?

Question

I am currently going through tests to discover if I have one or the other. If you are living with either, how do you treat and live with them?

Answer 1

I had the genetic defect characteristic of Marfan's syndrome (Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm) but do not have Marfan's. I'm short.
This was discovered when I went to the doc for allergy shots and he heard a loud murmur. Since this defect is an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm and was affecting the Aortic Valve and Aorta and the coronary arteries and was quite large it had to be repaired right away. I had open heart surgery and had the aorta replaced the coronary arteries moved and repair but not replacement of the aortic valve. Having the valve repaired and not replaced was really important to me because with some heart valves it is not possible to have kids. I was young at the time and the surgery went well with few complications (an occasional TIA) and I had my lovely daughter 3 years later. What could be better than that?
At the same time I was in the hospital there was a young man there also with SBE. He was on antibiotics for weeks but avoided surgery at that time. If you should require surgery, find the best surgeon you can with the most experience.

Answer 2

Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis (SBE) is a bacterial infection that produces growths on the endocardium (the cells lining the inside of the heart). Subacute bacterial endocarditis usually (but not always) is caused by a viridans streptococci (a type of bacteria); it occurs on damaged valves, and, if untreated, can become fatal within six weeks to a year.

Endocarditis is suspected in a patient with a heart murmur and unexplained fever for at least one week, and in an intravenous drug abuser with a fever, even in the absence of hearing a murmur. A definitive clinical diagnosis requires blood cultures that grow bacteria. Echocardiography (ultrasound study of the heart) may visualize vegetations (growths) on heart valves.

Cure of endocarditis requires eradication of all microorganisms from the vegetation(s), usually on the heart valve. Bacterial endocarditis almost always requires hospitalization for antibiotic therapy, generally given intravenously, at least at the outset. Most patients respond rapidly to appropriate antibiotic therapy, with over 70 percent of patients becoming afebrile (without a fever) within one week. Occasionally, therapy with oral antibiotics at home will be successful. Antibiotic therapy must usually continue for at least a month. In unusual cases, surgery may be necessary to repair or replace a damaged heart valve. Complications If bacterial endocarditis is not adequately treated, it can be fatal. This is dependent on the infecting organism. Even when treated, further damage to a heart valve may can to heart failure. In addition, blood clots can form and travel throughout the bloodstream to the brain or lungs.

Prevention

It is important that you tell your dentist or physician about any risk factors you may have for endocarditis. People with predisposing factors for bacterial endocarditis are those with:

prosthetic heart valves
previous bacterial endocarditis
congenital heart disease
rheumatic valve dysfunction
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
mitral valve prolapse with valvular regurgitation
If these predispositions are present, the patient should be given antibiotics before most medical or dental surgeries and whenever any significant skin infection occurs. Your physician will recommend which antibiotic(s) to take before, and in some cases, after your procedure.

Marfan syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disorder transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait.The disorder results from molecular defects in the fibrillin gene that are responsible for the impaired structural integrity of the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems.

You can search emedicine for detailed information regarding these problems. Or google search.

Answer 3

Marfan syndrome is a
genetic disoreder characterized by long limbs and has system affectation such as the eyes and the heart...

Answer 4

Marfans is a genetic disorder. Check out this link: http://www.marfan.org/nmf/index.jsp

(Abe Lincoln is often thought of possibly having Marfans).

Answer 5

Marfan's. You have to see your heart specialist every year, same with eye doctor.

They have to keep an eye on you to make sure no big changes in your aortic root.

Send me a message anytime.

Answer 6

i dont have it, but i think high doses of antibiotics will take care of the SBE. take it easy if you do have it.

Answer 7

Marfan Syndrome


What is the Marfan syndrome?

The Marfan syndrome is a connective tissue disorder. Connective tissue provides substance and support to tendons, ligaments, blood vessel walls, cartilage, heart valves and many other structures. In the Marfan syndrome, the chemical makeup of the connective tissue isn't normal. As a result, many of these structures aren't as stiff as they should be.

The Marfan syndrome is inherited and affects many parts of the body. There's no single conclusive test for diagnosing it, but people who have it often have many similar traits. Besides perhaps having heart problems, people with the Marfan syndrome are often tall and thin. They also may have slender, tapering fingers, long arms and legs, curvature of the spine and eye problems. Sometimes the Marfan syndrome is so mild that few (if any) symptoms exist. In the most severe cases, which are rare, life-threatening problems may occur at any age.

What are the blood vessel problems?

In the Marfan syndrome, the walls of the major arteries are weakened. The aorta, the major artery that leaves the heart, often is affected. When this occurs, it gets bigger (dilates), which can weaken the inner aortic wall. Under strenuous exertion, the aorta wall can tear. Blood can leak through these tears into the aortic wall, separating its layers -- a process called aortic dissection (dih-SEK'shun). Another problem that may occur if the aortic wall weakens is that an aneurysm (AN'u-rizm) may form.

What are the cardiac valve problems?

The Marfan syndrome can involve any of the four heart valves. The two most important ones, however, are the mitral and aortic valves. Blood may leak backward through a valve, increasing the heart's workload. As a result, over time the heart may enlarge. Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common but usually less significant valve problem. People without the Marfan syndrome can have mitral valve prolapse, but those with the Marfan syndrome often have an oversized mitral valve. As it closes, the valve billows (prolapses) back into the left atrium. This causes abnormal heart sounds, which a doctor can hear with a stethoscope.

How do you treat the Marfan syndrome?

Once the Marfan syndrome has been diagnosed, regular visits with a cardiologist are needed. Chest X-rays and Doppler echo tests are usually performed. Other tests also may be necessary.

Different people may need different types of treatment. Some people may not need treatment, but others may need drugs that lower heart rate, blood pressure or both. When the aorta or aortic valve develop major problems, surgery is usually advised.

People with the Marfan syndrome who have an abnormal heart or who've had heart surgery for their Marfan syndrome risk developing an infection of the heart wall or heart valve (endocarditis). This happens when bacteria enter the bloodstream. To prevent this, antibiotics are given before certain dental or surgical procedures.

What about lifestyle changes?

Physical activities - Because the Marfan syndrome appears in many forms, recommendations about exercise vary widely. For example, people with dilation of the aorta may be asked to avoid the usual team sports. Isometric exercises (such as weight lifting or rowing) and contact sports in which a blow to the chest could occur (such as football or hockey) also may be off-limits. Many people with the Marfan syndrome can participate in modified physical and recreational activities. A cardiologist can give advice about this.


Pregnancy - During pregnancy (and especially during delivery) stress to the aorta's walls greatly increases the risk of dissection or rupture. That's why pregnancy isn't advised for women with the Marfan syndrome who have a dilated aorta. There's also a good chance that people with the disease may pass it on to their children.

Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis

Definition

Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis (SBE) is a bacterial infection that produces growths on the endocardium (the cells lining the inside of the heart). Subacute bacterial endocarditis usually (but not always) is caused by a viridans streptococci (a type of bacteria); it occurs on damaged valves, and, if untreated, can become fatal within six weeks to a year.

Description

Endocarditis has traditionally been classified as acute or subacute based upon the pathogenic organism and the clinical presentation. This distinction has become less clear, however, and the less specific term "infective endocarditis" is now more commonly used. Most patients who develop infective endocarditis have underlying cardiac disease, although this is frequently not the case with intravenous drug abusers and hospital-acquired infections. Important factors that determine the clinical presentation are:

the nature of the infecting organism
whether the infection is superimposed upon preexisting abnormal cardiac structures
the source of infection, since endocarditis in intravenous drug abusers and infections acquired during open heart surgery have special features
More virulent organisms, Staphyloccus aureus in particular, tend to produce a more rapidly progressive and destructive infection. Patients are more likely to present with:
fever
early embolization (vegetation dislodging from the heart valve and traveling through the blood stream)
acute valvular regurgitation (back flow of blood in the heart)
abscess formation (pocket of infection)
Streptococcus viridans, enterococci, and a variety of other bacteria and fungi tend to cause a more subacute form of endocarditis. Streptococcal infection tends to be more chronic, though the average incubation period is 1 to 2 weeks.

Causes

Subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) is usually caused by streptococcal species (especially viridans streptococci), and less often by staphylococci. SBE often develops on abnormal valves after asymptomatic bacteremias (bacteria traveling through the bloodstream) from infected gums, or from gastrointestinal, urinary, or pelvic procedures.

Symptoms

Most patients present with a fever that lasts several days to 2 weeks. Nonspecific symptoms are common. Cough, shortness of breath, joint pain, diarrhea, and abdominal or flank pain may be present. About 90 percent of patients will have heart murmurs, but murmurs may be absent in patients with right-sided heart infections. A changing murmur is common only in acute endocarditis.

Diagnosis

Endocarditis is suspected in a patient with a heart murmur and unexplained fever for at least one week, and in an intravenous drug abuser with a fever, even in the absence of hearing a murmur. A definitive clinical diagnosis requires blood cultures that grow bacteria. Echocardiography (ultrasound study of the heart) may visualize vegetations (growths) on heart valves.

Treatment

Cure of endocarditis requires eradication of all microorganisms from the vegetation(s), usually on the heart valve. Bacterial endocarditis almost always requires hospitalization for antibiotic therapy, generally given intravenously, at least at the outset. Most patients respond rapidly to appropriate antibiotic therapy, with over 70 percent of patients becoming afebrile (without a fever) within one week. Occasionally, therapy with oral antibiotics at home will be successful. Antibiotic therapy must usually continue for at least a month. In unusual cases, surgery may be necessary to repair or replace a damaged heart valve. Complications If bacterial endocarditis is not adequately treated, it can be fatal. This is dependent on the infecting organism. Even when treated, further damage to a heart valve may can to heart failure. In addition, blood clots can form and travel throughout the bloodstream to the brain or lungs.

Prevention

It is important that you tell your dentist or physician about any risk factors you may have for endocarditis. People with predisposing factors for bacterial endocarditis are those with:

prosthetic heart valves
previous bacterial endocarditis
congenital heart disease
rheumatic valve dysfunction
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
mitral valve prolapse with valvular regurgitation
If these predispositions are present, the patient should be given antibiotics before most medical or dental surgeries and whenever any significant skin infection occurs. Your physician will recommend which antibiotic(s) to take before, and in some cases, after your procedure.