Prognosis and Follow-Up in Infective Endocarditis

Pronounced advancement in cardiovascular therapies including pacemakers, cardioverter-defibrillators, ventricular assist devices, and others necessitates a new look into infective endocarditis and outcomes in those patients. The data available are still accumulating which will ultimately tailor management; however, a general trend seems to follow the traditional understanding of infective endocarditis; older age, diabetes, renal failure, heart failure, embolic event, and other risk mediators recur in many of the subgroups. Overall, the prognosis in all groups depends on the pathogen and the presentation, as well as the timing of surgery. This understanding is also vital as it defines the follow-up strategies in those patients.