Emergency Department Management Of Acute Infective Endocarditis

Infective endocarditis has a high rate of mortality, and most patients suspected of having the disease will require hospital admission. This review examines the literature as it pertains specifically to emergency clinicians who must maintain vigilance for risk factors and obtain a thorough history, including use of intravenous drugs, in order to guide the workup and treatment. Properly obtained cultures are critical during the evaluation, as they direct the course of antibiotic therapy. Although transthoracic echocardiography is widely available in United States emergency departments, it is not sensitive or specific enough to rule out a diagnosis of infective endocarditis. In high-risk patients, transesophageal echocardiography should be considered.