[Treatment of infectious endocarditis]

Abstract

Antibiotic treatment of infective endocarditis is part of a multidisciplinary patient management that should be conducted within an "Endocarditis team". Initial antibiotic treatment of infective endocarditis should be parenteral and comply with current international guidelines. A switch to an oral antibiotic regimen may be considered after 2weeks of successful parenteral antibiotic treatment. Aminoglycosides should no longer be used for the initial treatment of native valve Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis. Valve surgery is required in almost half of the patients.