Infective endocarditis: a review for nurses

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a relatively uncommon condition that can present with a variety of noncardiac symptoms, making diagnosis of this condition challenging. Although IE is no longer uniformly fatal as it was in the preantibiotic era, it still has a high mortality rate. The major risk factor for IE, rheumatic fever, has decreased significantly in the industrialized west, but the incidence of IE remains as high as it was in the preantibiotic era. Today, IE has changed from a disease primarily of the young to one of the elderly. The increase in frequency of IE seems to be related to the fact that individuals are now living longer with chronic heart diseases and are having invasive medical procedures performed more often. The 2 main approaches to treating IE are the use of antibiotics and cardiac surgery. This article provides an overview of IE, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis criteria, and treatment options for IE.