Endokardists

Endokardists is a term occasionally used to describe clinicians who focus on diseases of the endocardium, the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves. In English-language medical practice, the term is not widely recognized; care for endocardial disorders is typically provided by cardiologists, especially those with expertise in valvular heart disease and infective endocarditis, often in collaboration with infectious disease specialists and cardiac surgeons.

Scope and practice of endokardists would include the diagnosis and management of endocardial and endocarditis-related conditions. This encompasses infective endocarditis, rheumatic or Libman-Sacks endocarditis, and noninfectious endocardial diseases such as fibroses or involvement of the endocardium in systemic illnesses. Diagnostic workup relies on imaging modalities like echocardiography (including transesophageal echo), cardiac MRI or CT, and laboratory tests such as blood cultures. Management typically involves antimicrobial therapy for infections, decisions about anticoagulation, heart failure management, and determining the need for valve repair or replacement, which may involve surgical or percutaneous interventions.

Training and practice locations for an endokardist, were the term commonly used, would ordinarily follow internal medicine or pediatrics, a specialty in cardiology, and additional focus on imaging and endocardial disease. Practitioners would work in hospitals and academic centers, collaborating with cardiology, cardiac surgery, infectious disease, radiology, and pathology departments to coordinate patient care.

Terminology and usage: the term varies by language, and in many contexts the field is described within broader cardiology and infectious disease specialties rather than as a standalone subspecialty. See also endocarditis, endocardium, cardiology.