What is the treatment for infective endocarditis?
Many people with endocarditis are successfully treated with antibiotics. Sometimes, surgery may be needed to fix or replace damaged heart valves and clean up any remaining signs of the infection.
What are the most common organisms that cause infective endocarditis?
Approximately 80% of infective endocarditis cases are caused by the bacteria streptococci and staphylococci. The third most common bacteria causing this disease is enterococci, and, like staphylococci, is commonly associated with healthcare-associated infective endocarditis.
What is the etiology of infective endocarditis?
Endocarditis occurs when germs, usually bacteria, enter your bloodstream, travel to your heart, and attach to abnormal heart valves or damaged heart tissue. Fungi or other germs also may cause endocarditis. Usually, your immune system destroys any harmful bacteria that enter your bloodstream.
What are the three types of endocarditis?
Infective endocarditis is divided into the three categories of acute, subacute, and chronic based on the duration of symptoms. Acute infective endocarditis refers to the presence of signs and symptoms of infective endocarditis that are present for days up to six weeks.
What is the murmur in infective endocarditis?
Heart murmurs are invariably present in infective endocarditis and changing murmurs are characteristic. The valve lesion is always destructive producing progressive incompetence.
What is infective endocarditis prophylaxis?
Endocarditis prophylaxis seeks to prevent IE by administering antibiotics to high-risk patients when they undergo procedures that can induce bacteremia.
What is the differential diagnosis for infective endocarditis?
Fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher. Vascular phenomenon, including major arterial emboli, septic pulmonary infarcts, mycotic aneurysm, intracranial hemorrhage, conjunctival hemorrhage, or Janeway lesions. Immunologic phenomenon such as glomerulonephritis, Osler nodes, Roth spots, and rheumatoid factor.