ENDOCARDITIS

Course overview

INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS DESPITE NEW ADVANTAGES IN MANAGEMENT AND PROPHYLAXIS. INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS CAN INCLUDE ACUTE AND SUBACUTE BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS, AS WELL AS NONBACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS CAUSED BY VIRUSES, FUNGI, AND OTHER MICROBIOLOGICAL AGENTS. SINCE THE INFECTING ORGANISM HAS CHANGED OVER TIME, DIAGNOSIS CAN BE DIFFICULT DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE DISEASE AND IS OFTEN DELAYED UNTIL A SERIOUS INFECTION IS ALREADY IN PLACE. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCARDITIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.