What labs would be drawn to diagnose endocarditis? and why?

CBC looking for elevated white blood cells.
Blood cultures looking for bacterial growth.
ESR looking for acute inflammation.
Echocardiogram (preferably transesophageal - down the throat) looking for vegetations on the valves. Ok, this isn't a lab, it's an imaging test, but it is quite important to the diagnosis.

There are other tests that can be done if warranted depending on whether the case is acute or subacute, or if the above tests are not definative.

Hope this helps!

CBCD, CMP, INR/PTT, UA, CXR, EKG

Only a cardiologist could give you a true answer. If you want to find out a little about it though you could visit the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocarditi...

I would personally draw a complete blood with differential and note a left or right shift of specific cells to determine if the inflammation and possible infection was viral or bacterial. However, the diagnosis of endocarditis is made by chest x-ray, ct scan or mri.

the most diagnostic tests for endocarditis are 4 blood samples for bacterial and fungal cultures, complete blood count and an echo to visualize vegetations if present...but we usually start treatment by clinical suspicion

Hazem got it right.
Possible additions : CRP, ESR. Also, a TEE (trasnesophageal echocadriogram) to look for "vegetation" on the heart valves.

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