Infective endocarditis is an infection of the cardiovascular endothelium and occurs on heart valves, in the cardiac chambers or on the intimal surface of blood vessels. It is a rare but deadly disease and is often difficult to diagnose and as a result has a high mortality. It is increasing in incidence due to an increase in vascular and cardiac interventions and devices. It is also becoming a disease in an elderly population with comorbidities like diabetes. Left sided valves are the predominant structures affected with growth of infective vegetations and valve destruction. Right sided valves are affected in intravenous drug use. The organisms have changed over the decades from Streptococcus species to Staphylococcus. The clinical presentation is very diverse ranging from cardiac sudden death to heart failure, pyrexia, weight loss and stroke, so clinical suspicion is important in a patient with risk factors. Complication include myocardial, cerebral, splenic, renal and peripheral infarction due to emboli. Echocardiography, serology, PCR and blood cultures are the cornerstone of diagnosis. Diagnosis and thus treatment relies on clinical, laboratory and imaging techniques. The treatment relies on the combination of prolonged antimicrobial therapy and surgical eradication of the infected tissues. Antibiotics are the first line of treatment with surgery for extensive disease and complications. Resistance to many antibiotics is rising so microbiological sensitivities are important. There is a lack of scientific evidence for the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis.
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