Infective Endocarditis
Infective endocarditis (IE) is infection of a native or prosthetic heart valve, endocardial surface, or indwelling cardiac device. IE most commonly occurs on native heart valves 72%, followed by prosthetic valves 21%, and finally pacemaker/ICD 7% (Murdoch, Arch Int Med 169:463, 2009). The incidence of IE varies worldwide but is still relatively low at 3–10 cases per 100,000 people (Cahill et al., Lancet 387:882–893, 2016). Despite this low incidence, untreated IE carries a high in-hospital mortality rate of 15–20% and a 1-year mortality rate close to 40% (Otto et al., Circulation 2021(143):e72–e227, 2020). Diagnosis requires careful attention to symptoms, physical exam, and diagnostic imaging. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are key to reducing mortality.
