A global view on the incidence and mortality of infective endocarditis

Infective endocarditis (IE) consists of an infection of a native or prosthetic heart valve, the endocardium, or an implanted cardiac device. It is usually caused by bacteria (typically streptococcus or staphylococcus) or more rarely fungi. IE can cause several signs and symptoms, including fever, new or changed heart murmurs, tachycardia, anemia, embolic phenomena, petechiae, and endocardial vegetations. The latter can lead to valve obstruction or insufficiency, myocardial abscess, mycotic aneurysm, or embolic complications.[ 1 Cahill T.J. Prendergast B.D. Infective endocarditis. Lancet. 2016; 387: 882-893 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (528) Google Scholar , 2 Bergadà-Pijuan J. Frank M. Boroumand S. Hovaguimian F. Mestres C.A. Bauernschmitt R. Carrel T. Stadlinger B. Ruschitzka F. Zinkernagel A.S. Kouyos R.D. Hasse B. Antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures to prevent infective endocarditis: a systematic review. Infection. 2022 Aug 16; https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-022-01900-0 Crossref PubMed Scopus (1) Google Scholar ] The diagnosis is not always straightforward. Trends in the incidence and mortality of infective endocarditis in high-income countries between 1990 and 2019International Journal of CardiologyVol. 371PreviewInfective endocarditis (IE) remains a life-threatening disease with high morbidity and mortality. Full-Text PDF Open Access