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- Elaine Yang and Bradley W Frazee.
- Alameda Health System, 1411 East 31st Street, Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA 94602, USA.
- Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. 2018 Nov 1; 36 (4): 645-663.
AbstractInfective endocarditis (IE) is an uncommon infection of cardiac valves associated with bacteremia. It increasingly affects elderly patients with chronic disease and artificial cardiac devices. The presentation, however, remains subtle and varied, with nonspecific symptoms ranging from those resembling a mild viral infection to septic shock and multiorgan failure. IE carries potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality through its impact on cardiac function and from embolic complications. Blood cultures prior to antibiotics and obtaining prompt echocardiography are key diagnostic steps, followed by proper selection of empiric antibiotics and, in many cases, collaboration with infectious disease, cardiology, and cardiothoracic surgery specialists.Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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