

Leaders “move up” the ladder in an organization, and, once there, see themselves “above” their team. Here’s the problem, most organizations operate from a hierarchical leadership structure. If the disease has significantly damaged the heart valves, it is indicated to perform a valve replacement or repair surgery.The heart of leadership is serving others first, before yourself. Infectious endocarditis is treated by intravenous antibiotics for 2 to 6 weeks. Usual symptoms of endocarditis are flu-like signs, heart murmur, night sweating, shortness of breath, and chest pain during breathing. For this reason, it is necessary to inform your doctor if you have a valve problem, so they could prescribe antibiotics for precautions. It is interesting that Streptococcus viridans is normally found in the oral cavity, where the easiest way for it to reach the heart and form vegetations on damaged valves is during a stomathology procedure. On the other hand, when the bacteria are not so virulent they can persist for some time in the heart causing valves deformities. If the causing bacteria is very virulent, the endocarditis has a fulminant course and often a fatal outcome. Parts of the vegetation can be loosened by the bloodstream and disseminated throughout the body, forming secondary deposits of infection. Then they cause the destruction of heart tissue, which leads to the formation of friable vegetations composed of necrotic debris (destructed heart cells), thrombi, and microorganisms. Once the bacteria carried by the bloodstream reaches the heart valves, they invade the endocardium. No matter what bacteria is the cause, pathogenesis is the same.

In the case of a healthy heart, the pathogenic bacteria is Streptococcus aureus. It mostly affects already damaged heart valves and in most cases, is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus viridans. Because of this, the myocardium is observed as a form of syncytium, rather than a group of somewhat independent cells.Įndocarditis is an inflammation of the endocardium. These three components enable mechanical unity of cardiomyocytes and a direct pathway of spreading action potentials.

The discs comprise of three components: adherens junction (fascia adherens), desmosomes (maculae adherentes) and gap junctions (communicating junctions). The older the cell, the more lipofuscin it has.Ĭardiomyocytes communicate through special intercellular bridges called intercalated discs. They don’t have any particular functional significance, but they are interesting since they are age markers for the cell. Cardiomyocytes also contain yellow lipofuscin granules. This has a great functional significance since the myocardium is constantly contracting and needs a great amount of energy at all times. Cardiomyocytes have a single nucleus in the center of the cell, which helps to distinguish them from skeletal muscle cells that have multiple nuclei dispersed in the periphery of the cell.Ĭardiomyocytes are very rich in glycogen deposits and mitochondria. Histologically, the myocardium is comprised of cardiomyocytes. It is a muscle layer that enables heart contractions. The myocardium is functionally the main constituent of the heart and the thickest layer of all three heart layers. Lines inner surface of heart chambers and valvesĬomprised of a layer of endothelial cells, and a layer of subendocardial connective tissue Key facts about the layers of the heart EpicardiumĬomprised of mesothelial cells and fat and connective tissues Histologically, the heart is made of three layers of tissue: epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. But let’s take a look at the heart histology it is essential for understanding the function of the heart.

Recalling from the heart anatomy, it has two atria and two ventricles that make up elements and important steps for the heart cycle. It is housed in the pericardial sac, which protects it and assists with its mechanics. The heart is a muscular organ found in the middle mediastinum that pumps blood throughout the body. In the same way that vehicles have their fuel pumps, our body has the heart. This article will discuss the layers of the heart (the epicardium, the myocardium and the endocardium) and any clinical relations pertaining to them.
