Management of infective endocarditis

Abstract

Infective endocarditis is an uncommon but potentially lethal disease, defined as an infectious lesion of the endocardium. The possibility of infective endocarditis should be considered in all patients with gram positive bacteremia. Particular consideration is recommended in case of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Treatment consists of high doses of intravenous antibiotics, usually during four weeks, but shorter or longer treatments may be applicable based on the characteristics of the patient and the infecting pathogen. Furthermore, a significant portion of patients will require thoracic surgery in order to ensure a favorable outcome. The management of infective endocarditis is a complex challenge, requiring close collaboration between infectious disease specialists, cardiologists, thoracic surgeons, clinical physiologists, and clinical microbiologists.