Endocarditis in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are a growing group of patients that require lifelong follow-up and treatment. One of the main complications is infective endocarditis. Echocardiography is the main diagnostic modality to confirm the diagnosis of infective endocarditis as well as to detect the possible complications. CT and PET-CT are helpful to assess foreign materials such as valve prosthesis. Initial broad antibiotic therapy will be started and later adapted according to the microorganisms detected in the blood cultures. Antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended only to the patients with cardiac conditions at highest risk of infective endocarditis undergoing high-risk dental procedures.