Antibiotic therapy for subacute disease, and in those who have received antibiotics recently can be delayed waiting the results of blood cultures, as this delay allows an additional blood cultures without the confounding effect of empiric treatment, which is very important in determining the causing pathogens.[1]
On the other hand, the rapid progression of acute cases necessitate the start of empirical treatment antibiotic therapy once the blood cultures have been collected.
Empirical therapy is needed for all likely pathogens, certain antibiotic agents, including aminoglycosides, is preferably avoided for its toxic effects.
Clinical course of infection beside the epidemiological features should be considered upon selecting empirical treatment regimen.
Consultation with an infectious disease specialist for the selection of one of the antibiotic regimens is recommended(See therapy for culture-negative endocarditis). [2]
▸ Vancomycin 15 mg per kg q12h IV x 4–6 weeks PLUS ▸ Gentamicin sulfate 1 mg per kg q8h IV/IM x 4–6 week PLUS Ciprofloxacin 500 mg per q12h PO or 400 mg q12h IV x 4–6 weeks
Penicillin-Susceptible Strep Viridans and Other Nonenterococcal Streptococci
Penicillin G
If Minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] <0.2 µg/ml.
Dose: 12–18 million units I.V. daily in divided doses q. 4 hour for 4 weeks.
Penicillin G + Gentamicin
Dose: Penicillin G, 12–18 million units I.V. daily in divided doses q. 4 hour for 4 weeks plus gentamicin, 3 mg/kg I.M. or I.V. daily in divided doses q. 8 hour for 2 weeks (peak serum concentration should be ~ 3 µg/ml and trough concentrations < 1 µg/ml).
Ceftriaxone
Dose: 2 g I.V. daily as a single dose for 2 weeks.
References
↑Braunwald, Eugene; Bonow, Robert O. (2012). Braunwald's heart disease : a textbook of cardiovascular medicin. Philadelphia: Saunders. ISBN978-1-4377-2708-1.
↑Bonow, RO.; Carabello, BA.; Chatterjee, K.; de Leon, AC.; Faxon, DP.; Freed, MD.; Gaasch, WH.; Lytle, BW.; Nishimura, RA. (2008). "2008 focused update incorporated into the ACC/AHA 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to revise the 1998 guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease). Endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons". J Am Coll Cardiol. 52 (13): e1–142. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2008.05.007. PMID18848134. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
↑Baddour Larry M., Wilson Walter R., Bayer Arnold S., Fowler Vance G. Jr, Bolger Ann F., Levison Matthew E., Ferrieri Patricia, Gerber Michael A., Tani Lloyd Y., Gewitz Michael H., Tong David C., Steckelberg James M., Baltimore Robert S., Shulman Stanford T., Burns Jane C., Falace Donald A., Newburger Jane W., Pallasch Thomas J., Takahashi Masato, Taubert Kathryn A. (2005). "Infective Endocarditis: Diagnosis, Antimicrobial Therapy, and Management of Complications: A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, and Kawasaki Disease, Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, and the Councils on Clinical Cardiology, Stroke, and Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia, American Heart Association-Executive Summary: Endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America". Circulation. 111 (23): 3167–84. PMID 15956145.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)