ABSTRACT
Infective endocarditis results in the formation of infective vegetations on the endocardium. The cardiac valves are most commonly involved but other areas of endocardium may also be affected, e.g. ventricular septal defect (VSD), atrial septal defect (ASD), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and coarctation. Endocarditis occurs in one of three groups of patients: native valve endocarditis, prosthetic valve endocarditis and endocarditis in intravenous drug users.
