The Effect of Healed Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis on Cardiac Dynamics

In essence, this report deals with the present status of 16 patients alive approximately 10 years after recovery from the active phase of subacute bacterial endocarditis. Ten of these patients were included in a report published in 1947.¹In 1948 we presented to the Midwest Regional Meeting of the American College of Physicians the clinical status of 21 approximate 4-year survivors. Twelve of these were asymptomatic. Nine were definitely handicapped, ranging from house-confined invalidism to one or more episodes of congestive failure. When we consider that 19 of these patients had been free of cardiac symptoms and able to lead unrestricted lives prior to the occurrence of bacterial endocarditis and that, of the other 2, only 1 had had an episode of congestive failure, it seemed reasonable to assume that the marked increase in the number with definite cardiac symptoms was due to the effect of the bacterial disease