Nursing Blog

Endocarditis, Pericarditis and Myocarditis Endocarditis Endocarditis is an infection of the heart valves and the endothelial surface caused by the direct invasion of bacteria or other organisms and cause deformity of the valve blade. Causing microorganisms including bacteria ( streptococci, enterococci, pneumococci, staphylococci ), fungal, rickettsial, and viridans streptococci . Infectious endocarditis is common in the elderly may be due to decreased immunological response to infection, metabolic changes due to aging and the increase of invasive diagnostic procedures, particularly in genitourinary disease. Pericarditis Pericarditis is an inflammation of the parietal pericardium, the visceral pericardium, or both. Pericarditis is divided up; Acute pericarditis, subacute pericarditis, and chronic pericarditis. Subacute and chronic pericarditis have etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches, and management of the same. Classification of pericarditis, both clinically and t...

Body clock link to heart disease . Scientists have raised the possibility that cardiovascular disease is linked to disturbances in the body's 24-hour clock. Working on mice, the Japanese team found a genetic risk factor for a form of high blood pressure is influenced by 24-hour or circadian rhythms. The study appears online in the journal Nature Medicine. Malfunctions in the body clock - which influences much of the body's chemistry - have been linked to many diseases. And lead researcher Professor Hitoshi Okamura said the latest study was in line with data which suggested shift workers, long-distance flight crews and people with sleep disorders have a heightened risk of heart problems. High blood pressure - known as hypertension - can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, and many other medical problems. Many genes have been identified as being essential elements making up the circadian clock. For example, mice lacking a pair of molecules known as cryptochromes have an ...