[Etiopathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic findings on infectious endocarditis in drug addicts]

Within the sphere of the infectious pathology one usually finds among drug addicts using intravenous methods, a prominent place is occupied by Endocarditis, a serious complication which is one of the more common causes of death among drug addicts. On the basis of the recent literature and their personal experience, the Authors report on several aspects of this illness in addicts, describing the etiological profile and the clinical manifestations in particular, which show clear dissimilarities when compared with infectious endocarditis in patients who are not addicts.