Management of Infective Endocarditis Next to the End of the Twentieth Century

pp 675-685

Abstract

Infective endocarditis has undergone significant epidemiologic changes during the course of this century. Its prognosis has evolved from that of a lethal condition to the present one as a disease with a high likelihood of cure. The introduction of antibiotics and cardiac valvular surgery were instrumental interventions devoted to attain this change in clinical outcome. Despite these huge contributions, at present, antibiotic-resistant organisms and prosthetic valve endocarditis are the causes that make infective endocarditis a disease of devastating consequences.In this review we discuss current antibiotic protocols, surgical indications and new surgical procedures, as well as their results in the treatment of infective endocarditis.