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- Heart valve scarring, due to rheumatic fever or other conditions
- Artificial heart valve
- Heart defect present at birth
- Prior episode of endocarditis
- Mitral valve prolapse , with significant regurgitation (abnormal backflow of blood)
- IV drug use—risk is very high when needles are shared
- Any dental procedure, even cleanings
- Removal of tonsils or adenoids , and other procedures involving the ears, nose, and throat
- Viewing the airways though a thin, lighted tube— bronchoscopy
- Surgery on the gastrointestinal or urinary tracks, including the gallbladder and prostate
- The bacteria causing the infection
- The amount of bacteria in the blood
- The degree of structural heart defects
- Your body's ability to fight infection
- Your overall health
- Unexplained weight loss
- Poor appetite
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Shortness of breath
- Little red dots on the skin, inside the mouth, and/or under the nails
- Bumps on the fingers and toes
- Tell your dentist and doctors if you have any heart conditions.
Maintain good oral hygiene:
- Brush your teeth 2 times per day
- Floss once per day
- Visit your dentist for a cleaning at least every 6 months or as advised
- See your dentist if dentures cause discomfort.
- Get medical help right away if you have symptoms of an infection.
American Heart Association http://www.heart.org
Mouth Healthy—American Dental Association http://www.mouthhealthy.org
Canadian Dental Association http://www.cda-adc.ca
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada http://www.heartandstroke.com
Antibiotic prophylaxis. American Dental Association website. Available at: http://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/antibiotic-prophylaxis. Accessed November 12, 2012.
Bonow RO, Carabello BA, et al. ACC/AHA 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease. A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48:e1.
Hoen B. Epidemiology and antibiotic treatment of infective endocarditis: an update. Heart. 2006;92:1694-1700.
Infective endocarditis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed. Updated September 5, 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012.
Infective endocarditis. American Heart Association website. Available at: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/CongenitalHeartDefects/TheImpactofCongenitalHeartDefects/Infective-Endocarditis%5FUCM%5F307108%5FArticle.jsp. Accessed November 12, 2012.
- Reviewer: Michael J. Fucci, DO
- Review Date: 12/2014 -
- Update Date: 12/20/2014 -