title: [Diagnosis and therapy of infectious endocarditis. What measures are required?].
abstract: Infectious endocarditis remains a potentially life-threatening disease, the outcome of which can be substantially influenced by rapid diagnosis and initiation of suitable treatment. Leading clinical features are fever, a new sound suggestive of valvular insufficiency and, when the course is subacute, anemia. The main diagnostic procedures are transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography that reliably identify vegetation, valvular insufficiency and abscess. Of decisive importance for treatment and prognosis is the rapid identification of the pathogen by means of blood culture and, if necessary, serologic and molecular-biologic measures. Antimicrobial treatment is applied in accordance with the recommendations of the American Heart Association. Surgical treatment is indicated in the event of refractory infection, severe valvular insufficiency with heart failure, valve avulsion, recurrent emboli or large floating vegetation with an elevated risk of embolism.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik, Abteilung Kardiologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf. rkoester@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Köster
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kähler
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Franzen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Münzel
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hamm
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents