Patient with sclerosis and degeneration of the aortic valve: difficulties in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis

The article presents a clinical case of a 55-year old women who had a surgery for infectious endocarditis associated with sclerodegen-erative aortic valve. Despite progression of intoxication syndrome, signs of circulatory insufficiency, presence of conduction disorders, and altered dimensions of heart chambers, which determined the indications for urgent surgery, a possible single cause for the un-derlying disease was not defined although the patient was examined and treated by single-discipline specialists at different healthcare institutions of the city. Early diagnosis could have influenced the course of infectious endocarditis by monitoring with antibacterial prevention followed by an elective surgery. The clinical example is used for highlighting current European Society of Cardiology Guidelines (2015).