Infective endocarditis: dental implications and new guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis. American Heart Association

The American Heart Association (AHA) has developed new guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis for patients at risk of infective endocarditis (IE). These guidelines are based on the on-going study of endocarditis cases and continued experience with antibiotic prophylaxis, and are an update of the 1990 recommendations. The major changes from the 1990 guidelines are: the recognition that most cases of IE are not attributable to an invasive procedure; that cardiac conditions may present different levels of risk categories; increased delineation of when prophylaxis should be given in cases of mitral valve prolapse; a change to a single dose of antibiotic and changes in the antibiotics recommended for prophylaxis. The revised AHA guidelines parallel those in Europe and the United Kingdom. It is essential that all dental professionals be fully aware of the modifications to these guidelines because of their importance in patient care and their medico-legal implications.