Injecting Drug Addiction as a Risk Factor for Infective Endocarditis

Abstract

In recent decades, the number and ratio of the main risk factors for infective endocarditis has increased. Among them, injecting drug addiction and other peripheral vascular disease factors play a key role. The article presents the results of a multicenter study with the aim, among other objectives, to determine the structure of risk factors and pathogens of infective endocarditis, followed by the study of the characteristics of antimicrobial therapy. The study included patients of both sexes and all age groups with certain or possible infective endocarditis. 406 cases of infective endocarditis were analyzed.

Keywords

• infective endocarditis, structure of risk factors, injecting drug addiction, antimicrobial therapy