Patient's question:
Sister-in-law has been unwell recently. The family took her to the hospital for a thorough examination, and the examination results indicated infective endocarditis. I haven't heard of this disease before. I also don't know how serious it is. I haven't dared to ask sister-in-law about it, fearing she might be in pain. I don't know if the treatment for infective endocarditis is effective.Doctor's answer:
Infective endocarditis is divided into two types: acute and subacute. First, you should confirm which type it is, as the medications differ for each. Additionally, blood cultures need to be conducted to identify the pathogen, and precise medication should be administered based on drug sensitivity tests. If the blood culture is negative, then for acute cases, the main antibiotics are those targeting Staphylococcus aureus, such as nafcillin combined with ampicillin or gentamicin. For subacute cases, penicillin-based or gentamicin is used.