Infective Endocarditis: A Contemporary Review

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Radiology

Background:

• Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious heart infection affecting the endocardial surface.
• Clinical manifestations of IE are diverse, impacting multiple organ systems and the heart itself.
• Traditional diagnosis relies on echocardiography, but other imaging modalities are increasingly important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review key aspects of infective endocarditis (IE).
• To focus on emerging diagnostic advances for IE.
• To highlight patient populations at increased risk for IE.

Main Methods:

• Literature search of the PubMed database (January 2000 - September 2019).
• Keywords used: infective endocarditis, diagnosis, management.
• Focus on pertinent and high-quality evidence.

Main Results:

• IE diagnosis and management require a multidisciplinary approach involving various medical specialists.
• Evolving imaging techniques supplement echocardiography in IE diagnosis.
• Certain patient groups, including those with intracardiac devices and congenital heart disease, face growing IE risks.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary care is essential for effective IE management.
• Advances in diagnostic imaging are crucial for timely IE detection.
• Increased vigilance is needed for IE in patients with intracardiac devices and congenital heart disease.