After your condition has stabilized, you can probably go home where you may continue to receive antibiotic treatment through a vein (by IV). A home health nurse will help with these medicines. The nurse will teach you how to give yourself the antibiotics and how to care for your IV tube (catheter).

Be sure to tell your doctor if symptoms, such as a fever or chills, return or if you have any new symptoms.

Preventing endocarditis

If you have a normal heart and valve structure, you have a low risk for developing endocarditis. But if you have a problem with your heart that affects normal blood flow, it increases the likelihood that bacteria or fungi will attach to heart tissue. This puts you at a high risk for endocarditis.

If you have certain heart conditions, getting endocarditis is even more dangerous for you. These heart conditions include:

• Artificial heart valves.
• Endocarditis in the past.
• Heart defects since birth (congenital heart defects).
• Heart valve problems after a heart transplant.

If you have any of these heart conditions, you may need to take antibiotics before you have certain dental or surgical procedures that could put bacteria or fungi into your blood. The antibiotics lower your risk of getting endocarditis.

Your doctor can give you a card to carry in your wallet that states that you need preventive antibiotics before certain procedures.

If you are at increased risk for endocarditis, it is also important that you practice good oral hygiene. Floss your teeth daily, and visit a dentist twice each year. For more information, see the topic Gum Disease.

Also, if you have conditions such as AIDS that weaken your ability to fight disease, you are at greater risk.