Managing Infective Endocarditis: What Lies Behind the High Mortality Rate and What Can We Do About it?

In this edition of Heart, Lung and Circulation, Holland et al. from a large Brisbane, Australia, hospital report their total experience of infective endocarditis (IE) over a 5-year period [1]. They report on 204 consecutive cases, of which 70% were community-acquired and 30% were associated with health care, in particular with haemodialysis for renal failure. Out of all patients, 23% were in the context of intravenous drug use (IVDU). Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly isolated organism in 45% of patients overall but was in 66% of the IVDU patients.
Source: Heart, Lung and Circulation - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research