Practice changing recommendations for you - Infective Endocarditis guidelines by AHA 2007

For years we all have religiously followed the pre procedure(most commonly dental) antibiotic prophylaxis as per guidelines published in 1997. Every prescription with Mitral valve prolapse or rheumatic valvular heart disease, so common in India and many other diseases at risk for Infective Endocarditis(IE) had instruction on Antibiotic prophylaxis.
2007 guidelines by same AHA have drastically cut down on the indications for IE, also eliminating the requirement for GI/GU procedures.
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Patients for whom dental prophylaxis is recommended. Only those at highest risk, ie, those with:

• A prosthetic cardiac valve
• A history of infective endocarditis
• Certain forms of congenital heart disease
• Unrepaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including palliative shunts and conduits
• Completely repaired congenital heart defect with prosthetic material or device during the first 6 months after the procedure
• Repaired congenital heart disease with residual defects at the site or adjacent to the site of prosthetic patch or prosthetic device
• Valvulopathy after cardiac transplantation

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Links to the commentary and original guideline

Commentary in CCJM

PDF - Official Guideline from Circulation