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Infective endocarditis prophylaxis: a review.
Benson Njuguna1, Francois Delahaye2
1a Department of Pharmacy , Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital - Pharmacy , Eldoret , Kenya.
Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy
|January 12, 2017
Summary
New guidelines recommend less infective endocarditis (IE) prophylaxis due to limited evidence. While antibiotic use has decreased, the impact on IE hospitalizations and outcomes remains unclear, necessitating further research.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Guidelines for infective endocarditis (IE) prophylaxis have evolved due to concerns about efficacy, safety, and antibiotic resistance.
- Recent guideline changes recommend limited or no prophylaxis for IE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the rationale for and against IE prophylaxis.
- To analyze changes in IE prophylaxis guidelines since 2002.
- To examine the impact of guideline changes on IE incidence, morbidity, and mortality.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of English articles published since 2002 concerning IE prophylaxis.
- Analysis of studies on antibiotic prescription rates, IE incidence, hospitalizations, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Antibiotic prescription rates for IE prophylaxis have declined, particularly in the UK.
- Conflicting data exists regarding the impact of guideline changes on IE hospitalization trends and clinical outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Current guidelines vary on which patient populations may benefit from IE prophylaxis.
- Further well-designed prospective observational studies are needed to clarify the long-term impact of updated IE prophylaxis guidelines.
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