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Compiling the identifying features of bacterial endocarditis. Vague clues may point to this dangerous infection
1Bayfront Medical Center, St Petersburg, Florida. george.harris@baycare.org
Insights
Bacterial endocarditis, a serious heart valve infection, is now manageable with modern treatments. Early diagnosis and appropriate therapy are key to successful outcomes for patients with underlying cardiac conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Bacterial endocarditis is a severe infection affecting heart valves.
- Historically, mortality rates were nearly 100% before antibiotics.
- Advances in diagnostics and therapeutics have significantly improved patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Bacterial endocarditis is a life-threatening disease. Before the advent of antibiotics, its mortality rate was nearly 100%, but with today's diagnostic and therapeutic advances, it can be successfully managed in most cases. In this article, Drs Harris and Steimle explain the changes that occur when someone, who usually has an underlying cardiac defect, contracts bacteremia with an organism likely to adhere to heart valve surfaces. They describe risk factors, clinical presentations, identification of causative organisms, and empirical and specific therapy. A case report illustrates the many possible manifestations of the disease.