Latest Views on Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Clinical Picture and Diagnosis of Infective Endokarditis
Infective endocarditis is a disease with protean manifestations. The diagnosis is based mainly on the typical clinical signs and on a few laboratory parameters. The clinical and epidemiological aspects of the disease have changed dramatically during the last decade. Echocardiography became the mainstay of rapid and noninvasive diagnosis of infective endocarditis. In view of these changes new diagnostic criteria for infective endocarditis were postulated by the Duke Endocarditis Service.