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Care of the Elderly Patient with Infective Endocarditis

  • Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly (M Chen, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Geriatrics Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review analyzes the presentation, manifestations, and management decisions for elderly patients with infectious endocarditis (IE).

Recent Findings

There are significant differences in IE across ages. Whereas the major risk factors for younger individuals include intravenous drug use and complex congenital heart disease, older adults tend to develop IE on prosthetic valves or in the setting of degenerative valve disease. Nosocomial disease is important regardless of age. The microbiology differs too for elderly patients. Although Staphylococcus aureus is universally an important pathogen, elderly patients are more likely to have IE from S. gallolyticus and Enterococci. New tools for risk stratification may better estimate true surgical risk for elderly patients with IE.

Summary

The epidemiology of IE has shifted over the last several decades, making it increasingly a disease of the elderly, who tend to have worse outcomes. It is important to understand how IE manifests in elderly patients in order to manage it appropriately.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance ••Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA

    Eric A. Meyerowitz

  2. Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, University of Washington, 325 9th Avenue, Box 359930, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA

    Shireesha Dhanireddy

Authors
  1. Eric A. Meyerowitz
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  2. Shireesha Dhanireddy
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Correspondence to Shireesha Dhanireddy.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly

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Meyerowitz, E.A., Dhanireddy, S. Care of the Elderly Patient with Infective Endocarditis. Curr Geri Rep 6, 290–296 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13670-017-0229-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13670-017-0229-6

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