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Treating Heart Infection (Infective Endocarditis)

When you’re treated for a heart infection at Providence, your cardiac care team provides expert treatment to monitor and improve your health, lower your risk of future complications and get you feeling better. We work with you to create a personalized care plan that includes everything from diagnosis and monitoring to the post-care support you need to feel your best. The result is compassionate, whole-person care for your body, mind and spirit.

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Why Choose Us for Heart Infection Care?

At Providence, we see the life in you. We are committed to making a positive difference in every life we touch.

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Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we’re always looking for ways to make your experience better. If your treatment requires innovative procedures, we’ve got you covered. If you need extra support, we’re here to help. In one case, the family of our patient Elliot Naftzger was forced to drive three hours for routine heart monitoring. Her care team stepped in and helped bring a portable echo machine closer to her home.

Our improved referral process makes it easier for patients to stay with Providence, the network they trust. We’ve also introduced a program to help patients get faster care through virtual visits with a nurse practitioner. This patient-centered approach to care is why thousands of patients just like you have trusted Providence with their heart care for 80 years.

We take a team-based approach to treating your heart infection. Why? Because we know this leads to the best results. Every Providence patient has access to world-class care from leaders in the field. Your multidisciplinary care team includes board-certified heart care specialists who have superior outcomes treating the most complex conditions. Your care team also works closely with dietitians to help you make heart-healthy food choices, physical therapists to help you keep living life to its fullest, and nurse navigators to coordinate your care with your primary care physician. Home health services may also be a part of your treatment to help administer intravenous antibiotics.

We understand that the impact of heart disease is greater in marginalized communities. Genetics plays a part, but unequal access to great health care is also a factor. At Providence, we value, respect and support the racial, ethnic, religious, gender, sexual and spiritual identities of all our patients. We are deeply committed to making sure everyone in our diverse communities has equal access to the best heart care. To do this, we offer location-specific services that help meet our patients’ needs. This includes translation for non-English-speaking patients, telehealth and transportation assistance. And we never turn a patient away, regardless of their ability to pay. Instead, we work harder to make sure every patient is treated equally and with dignity – whoever you are, and wherever you’re at.

As a patient at Providence, you belong to one of the largest community-based networks for heart care in the United States. This means your local heart care team shares knowledge and experience with other cardiac specialists across 51 hospitals in seven states. If specialty care is needed, your heart care team can easily reach the physicians with the most expertise. Take the story of our heart disease patient Donny Jones. When his lifelong heart condition became worse, his Providence cardiologist reached out to the location where he could get the special surgery he needed. Then he was back home just a few days later. The power of our network is one of the reasons more than 400,000 heart patients choose Providence each year.

Providence is well known for offering options – and hope – to patients seeking the most advanced therapies to treat arteriosclerosis. We participate in national and international data registries that track cardiovascular outcomes. This helps us learn more to continually improve our care for you. Our doctors and scientists also support groundbreaking research projects. Our leadership helps us provide better heart care – and a better life – for you and your loved ones.

More About Heart Infections

A heart infection comes from a bacterial, viral or fungal infection that can damage parts of the heart. It is a rare and life-threatening condition. Risk factors for a heart infection include damaged heart valves, poor dental health, intravenous drug use and older age. The expert cardiac teams at Providence use the most effective therapies to treat patients with every type of heart infection, including:

Testing and Diagnostics

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Your heart care team uses many different methods to find out which therapies work best for you. They look at your symptoms, other medical conditions and overall health. They also use the most advanced diagnostics to evaluate your condition. Depending on your case, this may include one or more of the following:

Personalized Treatment for Heart Infection

We know that no two patients are the same. This is why your care team works with you to design an individualized treatment plan based specifically on your heart condition and your personal needs. Every treatment plan includes lifestyle changes to support your recovery and long-term heart health.

Your care plan may include one or more of the following therapies:

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Meet the Team

At Providence, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.

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Patient Stories and Expert Tips for a Healthy Heart

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