Research and New Advances in the Treatment of Infective Endocarditis

Research and New Advances in the Treatment

Improved cardiac imaging technologies allow better visualisation of vegetations. Based on the characteristics of these the duration of treatment is adjusted. Large vegetations have been demonstrated to cause more embolic events. Interventions like valve repair and vegectomy are used to remove large vegetations prophylactically.

Agents that prevent the formation or promote the dissolution of vegetations may also be used. On-going researches also target the development of effective therapies (antibacterial antibodies and cell wall–specific enzymes) that can act as adjuncts to antibiotics in bringing bacteriologic clearance.