The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India
September 1, 2026 · via Europe PMC
Antibiotics in Heart Failure: A Narrative Review.
Kaur T, Ritu, Kohli P, Angral S, Munshi BD, Kaur K.
AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only
Antibiotics in heart failure should be given for confirmed infection, since empirical or unnecessary use brings limited benefit and possible harm.
What was studied
Narrative review of infections in heart failure and the use of antibiotics in this population.
Key findings
- Respiratory, urinary, skin and device infections are common triggers of decompensation
- Early targeted therapy helps in confirmed infection
- Unneeded empiric antibiotics prolong stays and cause toxicity and resistance
Clinical relevance
Cardiologists and hospitalists often cannot distinguish HF from infection and need a stewardship-minded approach.
Who should care
Limitations
The abstract is short, gives no data, and describes a narrative review without systematic methods.
Confirm infection before starting antibiotics in decompensated HF and tailor therapy.
This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.
Abstract
Abstract
Infections commonly cause acute decompensation and poor outcomes in heart failure (HF), a major global health burden. Patients with heart failure are particularly vulnerable to infections related to the respiratory, urinary, skin, and devices because of systemic inflammation, immune dysfunction, changes in the gut barrier, and repeated exposure to healthcare facilities. The use of empirical antibiotics without confirmation due to overlapping symptoms between infection and heart failure is frequently associated with extended hospital stays, drug toxicity, and antibiotic resistance. While early targeted therapy improves outcomes in confirmed infections, evidence points to limited benefit and possible harm from unnecessary antibiotics. To maximize management in this susceptible population, careful diagnostic evaluation, stewardship, and customized prescribing are crucial.
DOI
10.59556/japi.74.1702
PMID
42902650
Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.
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