Use of Steroids in Penicillin-Sensitive Patients with Bacterial Endocarditis

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Abstract
THE natural history of bacterial endocarditis is characterized by a uniformly fatal outcome unless appropriate therapy is given. Penicillin is the drug of choice in patients with sensitive organisms.1 2 3 4 Penicillin is unsurpassed in bactericidal qualities and ability to penetrate fibrin, two characteristics that are vital in the therapy of bacterial endocarditis.5 No other drug or combination of drugs can equal its record of success, which approaches 95 per cent of cases with sensitive organisms.A history of penicillin allergy or its appearance during treatment of the patient with bacterial endocarditis presents a difficult problem, for many cases of mortality and . . .