ENDOCARDITIS AND DENTAL PROCEDURES—ANTIBIOTIC PROPHYLAXIS NEW GUIDELINES
Effective 4/19/07, the American Heart Association, in conjunction with the American Dental Association, has updated their guidelines for endocarditis prophylaxis for dental procedures. The new guidelines recommend that patients no longer need short-term antibiotics as a preventive measure before certain dental procedures.
Prophylactic antibiotics are still recommended for patients with:
Past history of infective endocarditis
Artificial heart valves
Cardiac transplant that develops a problem in a heart valve
Specific congenital heart defects including:
Unrepaired or incompletely repaired cyanotic congenital heart disease with shunts or conduits
A completely repaired congenital heart defect with a prosthetic material where placed by surgery or catheter intervention, during the first 6 months after the procedure
Any repaired congenital heart defect with residual defect at the site or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or prosthetic device
For all other cardiac conditions, preventive treatment with antibiotics is no longer indicated.
We encourage you to contact your dentist or cardiologist for any further questions or concerns on these new guidelines.
A new wallet card is now available and will be given to you at your next visit or by contacting our office at (616)885-5000.
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