title: Focused cardiac ultrasound diagnosis of right-sided endocarditis.
abstract: Endocarditis is a serious infection of the innermost muscle layer of the heart and can lead to significant mortality and morbidity. Echocardiography is instrumental to the timely diagnosis of this disease entity. We discuss the case of a patient presenting to the emergency department (ED) with fever of unclear etiology. The diagnosis of right-sided endocarditis was made using focused cardiac ultrasound. A 46-year-old man with a history of intravenous drug abuse presented to the ED complaining of fevers and headaches. Focused cardiac ultrasound demonstrated a tricuspid vegetation. The patient was promptly treated for right-sided endocarditis. This case illustrates the use of focused cardiac ultrasound to facilitate the early diagnosis and management of endocarditis in the ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Emergency Ultrasound Division, St Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY 10019, USA. neiljpathak@gmail.com
authors.forename: Neil J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Turandot
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saul
authors.forename: Resa E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lewiss
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications