Foreword

Article Outline

• Acknowledgments
• Copyright

Infective Endocarditis is an important clinical problem because it is fatal if not treated and even in the current era the hospital mortality is not significantly different from that in the early years of use of antibiotics. Therefore, early diagnosis, appropriate testing and skilled management of the patient are essential.

Dr. Bashore is a recognized expert in this area.

In this issue, Dr. Bashore and co-workers provided a detailed and sophisticated review of the topic, which includes its history, epidemiology, pathogenesis and complications. They also provide a thorough review of the various imaging modalities including their cost effectiveness. They then provide a comprehensive clinical approach of the patient and have included the antibiotic regimens from the recent AHA scientific statement on Infective Endocarditis. They have provided 234 references.

The Editorial Board and I are obliged to Dr. Bashore and his co-authors for providing an erudite, comprehensive and also a practical review that will be extremely helpful to all.

Back to Article Outline

Acknowledgments 

The Editor and Editorial Board Members are grateful to Patrick T. O’Gara, M.D. for his comments. Dr. O’Gara is Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Director of Clinical Cardiology, Vice-Chairman, Clinical Affairs, Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA.