Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infective Endocarditis

Abstract

Infective endocarditis is a relatively uncommon infectious disease that leads to substantial mortality and morbidity. This disease primarily involves bacterial infection of the heart valves. Diagnosis is contingent upon excellent physical examination and radiological and microbiological evidence. While failure to identify the causative microorganism does not preclude the diagnosis of infective endocarditis, management is more difficult. Recent advances have improved the etiological identification and allowed for shorter time to optimal antibiotic therapy. Advances in treatment have focused on therapies to combat drug-resistant microorganisms as well as mitigate adverse events. While new therapies are available, there exists a paucity of clinical evidence and further studies are required.