title: Anticoagulation in prosthetic valve endocarditis.
abstract: We reviewed the experience with infective endocarditis at some major US Army Medical Centers. One hundred patients were studied, comparing 82 patients who had native valve endocarditis (NVE) with 18 patients who had prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). Among patients with PVE, four had porcine valves and 14 had synthetic. None of the patients with NVE had received anticoagulants; 14 of 18 patients with PVE had received anticoagulants. The major causes of death were central nervous system hemorrhage, congestive heart failure, uncontrolled infection, and embolic phenomena. The principal cause of death in patients with PVE was CNS hemorrhage. Of the patients with PVE, 36% had symptomatic cerebral hemorrhage while receiving anticoagulants and 80% of them died.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011292:Premedication; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000139:chemically induced; D014859:Warfarin / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin