Self care after heart valve surgery

Subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE)

Subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) is an infection of your heart and valves. If you have heart valve disorders or valve surgery, it is important that you prevent SBE. Symptoms include fever, chills, sweating, loss of appetite or fatigue.

The American Heart Association recommends that you receive antibiotics before having these kinds of surgeries or procedures: dental (oral), respiratory tract, esophageal, genitourinary or gastrointestinal. Be sure to let your doctor or dentist know before you have any of these types of procedures.

Coumadin® and blood tests

If you take Coumadin® (also called warfarin), you will need a blood test from time to time to find out how fast your blood is clotting. This measurement is called INR, prothrombin time or protime. Your doctor will use this information to determine the dosage of Coumadin® that you need.

More or less Coumadin® affects the rate at which your blood clots. When you start taking Coumadin®, you may have blood tests every day for a few days, then perhaps once a week. Once your doctor decides on your dosage, you'll need INR tests less often. Sickness, diet, medicine (prescription, herbals, vitamins and over-thecounter) and physical activity can affect your blood clotting time.

Tell your health care team about changes in your health, medicine you are taking, or major dietary changes, so your Coumadin® dosage can be adjusted, if needed.

There are signs that your blood may not be clotting rapidly enough. If you experience these, call your doctor:

bleeding from cuts that does not stop
nosebleeds that don’t stop
more bleeding than usual when you brush your teeth
more bleeding than usual when you get your menstrual period, or unexplained bleeding from your vagina
unusual bruising for unknown reasons
cannot get bleeding to stop with manual pressure or have a nosebleed that will not stop

When to call your doctor

Call your doctor if you:

have a serious fall
hit your head
have unusual colored urine or stool (including dark brown urine and noticing red or black in your stool)
have a fever or sickness that gets worse
vomit, cough or throw up blood
have loose or runny stools or diarrhea
have an infection
have pain or swelling
have headache, dizziness, trouble breathing, chest discomfort or feel more weak or tired than usual
gain more than three pounds a day or five or more pounds in one week. Keep a daily weight log. (Adobe Reader required to view log.)
feel grating of the sternum (in the middle of your chest)