You are more likely to get infective endocarditis if you already have a heart condition or heart valve damage.

It is best to ask your cardiologist if you are more at risk of infective endocarditis. However, generally, your risk for developing infective endocarditis is increased if you:

• have had a valve replacement;
• were born with a heart condition (other than an isolated atrial septal defect, a repaired ventricular septal defect or a repaired patent ductus arteriosus);
• have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• have a disease affecting your heart valves; or
• have had infective endocarditis before.

Find out more from CHF’s information sheet on Infective Endocarditis:

https://www.chfed.org.uk/how-we-help/information-service/heart-conditions/infective-endocarditis/