Living with the disease

Infective endocarditis is a disease that can be cured in most cases. The most challenging part for patients is the time spent in hospital receiving intravenous therapy, as well as post-operative care for patients who require heart surgery.  

Once the patient has been discharged, they can slowly return to normal life in the months following treatment if they are confirmed as cured.  

There may be after-effects of the disease, which will be treated using functional rehabilitation and recovery devices.  

It is important that patients follow strategies to prevent further episodes from occurring. For this, they have regular follow-up visits with the specialists involved in their care. For example, their dental hygiene is checked if the entry point is the mouth, or a colonoscopy is performed to remove polyps if the origin is digestive.  

Furthermore, patients will be educated on these issues:

• Recognising warning signs (such as fever) that should be cause for immediate medical consultation.  
• Medication: Not taking antibiotics before blood cultures are performed to prevent negative results.
• Proper oral hygiene.
• When to take preventive antibiotics for invasive procedures (for example, tooth extraction).