Which condition is inflammation of the innermost lining of the heart, including the heart valves?

• A. Pericarditis
• B. Myocarditis
• C. Endocarditis
• D. Aneurysm

Answer: (C)

Endocarditis is inflammation of the endocardium, the inner lining of the heart, which includes the heart valves. This sets it apart from other heart inflammations: pericarditis involves the outer lining around the heart, and myocarditis targets the heart muscle itself. An aneurysm is a dilation of a blood vessel or the heart wall and is not an inflammatory condition of the heart’s inner lining. Clinically, endocarditis often presents with fever and a new or changing heart murmur, and it can lead to embolic complications. Diagnosis typically involves blood cultures and echocardiography, and treatment requires targeted antibiotics, with surgery sometimes needed to repair or replace affected valves.