Infective Endocarditis: An Update

Abstract

Although infective endocarditis (IE) has been recognized for years and despite the advances in the diagnosis and treatment, it is associated with a mortality rate as high as 20% even in developed countries in which IE cases have more access to new diagnostic technologies and surgical facilities. The mortality rate is even higher in Turkey and is reported to be 30%. There are many guidelines on the management of IE, but compliance with these guidelines is poor in daily clinical practice. A standardised strategy based on a local consensus of IE among infectious diseases and clinical microbiology specialists, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons (i.e., infective endocarditis team) can result in reproducibility of treatment for all patients regardless of the attending physician. In this review, epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis and prevention of IE in Turkey and other parts of the world were discussed in the light of current guidelines and recent research; and some recommendations were made to improve the management of IE.