types of infective endocarditis
Last reviewed 01/2018
Traditionally, infective endocarditis has been classified into two broad categories according to the pathogenic organism and the clinical presentation:
- acute:
- most often caused by Staphylococcus aureus
- equally prevalent on normal and abnormal valves
- it is rare
- subacute:
- most often caused by Streptococcus viridans
- usually
- affects abnormal valves
- more common
Two specific forms of endocarditis are the infections associated with prosthetic heart valves and intravenous drug abuse:
- prosthetic:
- follows valve replacement
- may present early, within 60 days of valve replacement or late
- right sided endocarditis in intravenous drug abuse:
- accounts for 5% of cases
- tricuspid valve invariably affected
- usually presents acutely in I.V. drug abusers or the immunosuppressed
95% of cases of infective endocarditis effect the left side of the heart, with the mitral and aortic valves affected equally.
subacute infective endocarditis