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Culture-negative endocarditis - Treatment

Alternative Names

Endocarditis (culture-negative)

Treatment:

You will be admitted to the hospital so you can receive medicines through a vein. Long-term, high-dose antibiotic or antifungal treatment is needed. Treatment is usually given for 4-6 weeks.

Surgery may be needed to replace damage heart valves.

Expectations (prognosis):

Heart valves may be damaged if diagnosis and treatment are delayed.

Complications:

Abnormal connections within the heart
Blood clots that travel to brain, kidneys, lungs, or abdomen
Brain abscess
Congestive heart failure
Rapid or irregular heartbeats, including atrial fibrillation
Severe valve damage
Stroke

Culture-negative endocarditis

Reviewed last on: 4/25/2008
Mark Levin, MD, Division of Infectious Disease, MacNeal Hospital, Berwyn, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2005; pp 975-1022.

Karchmer AW. Infective Endocarditis. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 8th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2007: chap 63.

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