February 01, 2021
New data on infective endocarditis (IE) among people who inject drugs run counter to long-held stereotypes about the condition—for example, a sizeable proportion of cases affect the heart’s left side, occur in prosthetic valves, and arise from organisms other than
Staphylococcus aureus.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
According to the study authors, the series represents the largest of its kind to date in this patient group and should drive home the point that while there are well-known features of “classical” IE in injection-drug users, understanding some of the “not so typical” findings will be key to patient management.