Infective Endocarditis in Native or Prosthetic Valves

  • Patients at risk or with suspected endocarditis should receive antibiotic therapy after two sets of blood cultures (Class I).1
  • These patients should be evaluated for need and timing of surgery: early surgery is recommended (Class I) for those with valve dysfunction causing heart failure, resistant organisms (fungi, staphylococcus), heart block/abscess, persistent infection.
  • Surgery is also recommended for relapsing prosthetic valve endocarditis (Class I).1
  • Those with large mobile vegetations of the native valve and recurrent emboli can be evaluated for early surgery (Class II).1

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