Immediate Empiric Therapy

Immediate empiric therapy for endocarditis is also indicated. Antibiotics with bactericidal activity are used to sterilize vegetative lesions. Treatment must be administered parenterally to ensure adequate bioavailability, serum concentration and penetration of the vegetative lesions. Prior to the results of the blood culture, empiric therapy with broad spectrum antimicrobial coverage was instituted, using a combination of antimicrobial agents with synergistic activity. A typical combination includes beta-lactams and an aminoglycoside.