A pressure measurement can be described as either static or dynamic. The pressure in cases with no motion is static pressure. Examples of static pressure include the pressure of the air inside a balloon or water inside a basin. Often, the motion of a fluid changes the force applied to its surroundings. For example, say the pressure of water in a hose with the nozzle closed is 40 pounds per square inch (force per unit area).
If the valves are damaged there is a growing risk of heart failure. Arrhythmia is another complication, because the heart's rhythms may be affected by endocarditis. As endocarditis is an infection, the infection itself can spread within the heart and to other parts of the body, such as the kidneys, lungs and the brain.
Endocarditis is a disease characterized by inflammation or infection of the inner surface of the heart (the endocardium). This article will focus on endocarditis that is the result of infection (infective endocarditis). Endocarditis commonly affects heart valves, but may also involve nonvalvular areas or mechanical devices that are implanted in the heart, such as artificial heart valves, pacemakers, or implantable defibrillators.