Infective Endocarditis in Elderly Patients

Infective endocarditis (IE) in elderly patients is a serious disease with significant morbidity and mortality. IE presents unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the elderly. A heightened index of suspicion is necessary due to the atypical presentations of IE among the elderly. Underlying degenerative valvular disease, mitral valve prolapse, and presence of a prosthetic valve are important predisposing risk factors for IE in the elderly. IE in the elderly is somewhat more common in men. The mitral valve is affected somewhat more frequently compared with the aortic valve. Streptococci and staphylococci are the predominant organisms, recovered in approximately 80% of elderly patients with IE. The presence of calcific valvular lesions and prosthetic valves often confound echocardiographic findings in the elderly. Aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are mandatory for a favorable outcome of IE in this group of patients.