Infective endocarditis: prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Infective endocarditis may develop after microbial invasion of the bloodstream in patients with various cardiovascular lesions. Efforts to prevent endocarditis should be concentrated on the use of prophylactic antibiotics to reduce the frequency and magnitude of streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteremias in patients with susceptible cardiac lesions. The diagnosis of endocarditis should always be considered in any patient with fever, a cardiac murmur or a positive blood culture. Successful management of these patients requires early diagnosis and the appropriate use of antibiotics.