title: Infective endocarditis: a comprehensive overview.
abstract: Infective endocarditis (IE) is an infection of a heart valve or other cardiac structure at a         site of endothelial damage. The definition has been also expanded to include infected         cardiac devices. A variety of organ systems may be adversely affected in patients with         IE. Although advances have improved the diagnostic accuracy for IE, morbidity and mortality         remain remarkably high. This article reviews the pathophysiology, complications,         diagnosis, and management of IE with recent updates to the literature and the major         cardiovascular society guidelines. The increasingly prevalent clinical problem of intracardiac         device-related IE is addressed, along with the recent changes to the IE prophylaxis         guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Todd L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bashore
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents