New Guidelines: Antibiotic Prophylaxis( HARRISBURG Pa. Feb. 14 -- Until ...),Health

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Until recently, it was recommended that many patients with cardiac conditions receive short-term antibiotics prior to receiving dental treatment to prevent the risk of infective endocarditis (IE). The American Heart Association (AHA) has since revised those guidelines and the revisions bring good news for most cardiac patients: many patients who have taken prophylactic antibiotics routinely in the past no longer need them.

The American Dental Association (ADA) provided input to the AHA on the new guidelines, which were also developed in part by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This group reviewed and analyzed information from both national and international experts on IE and revised guidelines were released last April.

The updated guidelines state that patients who have taken prophylactic antibiotics in the past but no longer need them include people with:

-- Mitral valve prolapse

-- Rheumatic heart disease

-- Bicuspid valve disease

-- Calcified aortic stenosis

-- Congenital heart conditions such as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

These revisions are based on scientific evidence that conclude that the risks of taking preventive antibiotics, such as adverse reactions to the antibiotics and development of drug resistant bacteria, outweigh the benefits for most patients.

However, as with any guidelines, there are exceptions. Preventive antibiotics prior to dental procedures are still advised for patients with:

-- Artificial heart valves

-- History of IE

-- Unrepaired or incompletely repaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including those with palliative shunts and conduits

-- A completely repaired congenital heart defect with prosthetic material or device, whether placed by surgery or catheter intervention, du
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