SBE

Medical abbreviation · Cardiology

SBE
Stands forSubacute bacterial endocarditis
CategoriesMedical

SBE stands for Subacute bacterial endocarditis, a cardiology abbreviation.

Older term for endocarditis that develops over weeks to months, classically from viridans streptococci infecting a previously damaged valve. Symptoms are vague, such as low-grade fever, fatigue, weight loss and night sweats, which can delay diagnosis.

Example: Three weeks of low-grade fevers in a patient with known MVP; blood cultures grow viridans strep, consistent with SBE.

Usage notes

Clinicians formerly divided endocarditis into acute (often Staphylococcus aureus, fulminant) and subacute forms; modern practice prefers infective endocarditis (IE) classified by organism and valve type. "SBE prophylaxis," meaning antibiotics before dental work, is still heard, although AHA guidelines in 2007 narrowed it to high-risk patients.

More cardiology abbreviations

  • S1 – First heart sound
  • S2 – Second heart sound
  • S3 – Third heart sound
  • S4 – Fourth heart sound
  • SA – Sinoatrial
  • SAVR – Surgical aortic valve replacement
  • SBP – Systolic blood pressure
  • SCA – Sudden cardiac arrest
  • SCAD – Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
  • SCD – Sudden cardiac death
  • SEM – Systolic ejection murmur
  • SSS – Sick sinus syndrome

See all 229 cardiology abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.