Update on infective endocarditis

Infectious Endocarditis is a disease almost invariably fatal if it is not treated in the proper manner. A review is presented of the cardiac abnormalities and procedures associated with its development as well as the most recent classification of the different modalities of endocarditis. The clinical manifestation, the causative organisms and diagnostic procedures are summarized. The American Heart Assciation and the American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) recommendations for management of native valve endocarditis, infective endocarditis in drug users, prosthetic valve endocarditis and culture negative endocarditis are summarized. The conditions that justify surgical interventions are also presented.