[Current problems of infectious endocarditis. Clinico-diagnostic considerations on 17 cases]

Seventeen cases of Infective Endocarditis diagnosed over a seven-year period by clinical-echocardiographic criteria in a Division of General Medicine are reviewed. More significant aspects regard the observation of the disease in some subjects at risk (elderly persons, patients with normal native valves affected by cirrhosis, by intravenous drugs abuse, by haematological neoplasms), the diagnostic difficulties in cases with oligosymptomatic or atypical beginning, and the frequent negative blood cultures. The value and the limitations of echocardiography and some aspects of therapy are discussed.