Recognizing Infective Endocarditis in the Emergency Department

A 52-year-old Caucasian male presented to the emergency department complaining of nontraumatic painful swelling and redness of the distal left fourth finger for 2 days, associated with malaise and subjective fever. The patient denied medical history, drugs, tobacco, or alcohol use. [West J Emerg Med. 2012;13(1):92–93.]